Mark Twain: Man In White: The Grand Adventure Of His Final Years

One day in late 1906, seventy-one-year-old Mark Twain attended a meeting on copyright law at the Library of Congress. The arrival of the famous author caused the usual stir—but then Twain took off his overcoat to reveal a "snow-white" tailored suit and scandalized the room. His shocking outfit appalled and delighted his contemporaries, but far more than that, as Pulitzer Prize finalist Michael Shelden shows in this biography, Twain had staged this act of showmanship to cement his image and his personal legend in the public's imagination. That afternoon in Washington, less than four years before his death, marked the beginning of a vibrant, tumultuous period in Twain's life that would shape his famous image—America's indomitable icon, the Man in White.

Although Mark Twain has long been a beloved literary figure—Time magazine declared him "our original superstar"—his final years have been largely misunderstood. Despite family tragedies, Twain's last half-decade was among the most dynamic in his life. With the spirit and vigor of a man fifty years younger, he continued to stir trouble, perfecting his skill for living large. Twain wrote ceaselessly, was always ready with a quip, risked his fortune, became a victim of a lost-at-sea hoax, and engaged in disputes with figures like King Leopold of Belgium and Mary Baker Eddy.

Drawing on unpublished sources, including Twain's journals, letters, and a revealing personal account kept under wraps for decades, this biography vividly portrays Twain’s twilight years, offering insights and a tender look at his family life. Filled with scholarship, rare photos, anecdotes, and quotes, this biography provides a remarkable portrait of Twain and the era he helped to shape.