Best known for his books The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain is one of the most influential names in American literature.
Born Samuel Langhorne Clemens in a small town by the Mississippi River in the 1800s, his pen name is said to be inspired by a steamboat terminology, as he used to aspire to be a steamboatman. (“Mark twain” was the leadsman’s cry for a measured river depth of 12 feet.)
Twain was known not only as an entertaining novelist, but also an insightful essayist, engaging travel writer, and brilliant literary critic. He wrote 28 books and more than 100 short stories.
Best Mark Twain Books and Stories
If you want to read more of the books and stories that Mark Twain wrote, here are some options to get you started:
1. The Jumping Frog (1865)
This is a short story originally published under the title “Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog.” In the story, a man gets stuck in a one-sided conversation with another person whose stories are endless yet pointless, but later wrap up in a story about a jumping frog.
2. The Innocents Abroad (1869)
This book shows Twain’s prowess as a travel writer, as he documents his journeys in the Middle East and Europe with plenty of laughter guaranteed for the reader as he shows his wit in pointing out the peculiarities of each country he visits.
3. Roughing It (1872)
Inspired by his experience mining for gold in California, this semi-autobiographical memoir is the prequel to The Innocents Abroad. He shares some of his earliest adventures, embellished with some tall tales to keep the reader in stitches.
4. The Gilded Age (1873)
Hailed as his first novel, Twain co-wrote this with Charles Dudley Warner as a result of a wager they set with their wives. It’s a satire of the corruption and political issues in the US during the years following the Civil War. The book originally coined the term “the gilded age” to describe those thirty post-war years.
5. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876)
Perhaps one of the books Mark Twain is best known for, this coming-of-age novel is great for readers of all ages. It follows the life of Tom Sawyer, a young troublemaker who’s also a romantic and dreamer at heart.
6. A Tramp Abroad (1880)
Inspired by another trip that Twain took, spanning 15 months across Central Europe all the way to the Alps, this is the sequel to The Innocents Abroad, cleverly referring to himself as a tramp this time round. Again, you will enjoy this travelogue that doubles with a social criticism that he is quite adept at.
7. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885)
Hailed by many as the Great American Novel, this story is about 13-year-old Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer’s friend, whom the local drunkard kidnaps. Huck escapes with Jim, a runaway slave, and they sail down the Mississippi River on a rugged raft and find various adventures.
8. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (1889)
A pinnacle of satire, he tells the story of Hank Morgan, an engineer in more modern times who is thrown back to the time of King Arthur. He ends up challenging the great magician Merlin, and is hailed as a great leader thanks to his “magic,” which depends highly on modern-day inventions and scientific discoveries.
9. The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson (1893)
This story revolves around a frightened slave and new mother, who secretly switches her baby with the master’s. This results in the two children living reversed identities. Twain expertly weaves in his commentary on slavery and racism.
10. Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc (1896)
Mark Twain has said he liked this book best out of all his books. He tells it from the point of view of Sieur Louis de Conte, a character he fictionalized as Joan’s companion, to tell about her role in fifteenth-century France.
Books by Mark Twain
If you want an engaging read about different time periods in history, complete with witty social critique, Mark Twain is the author for you!
Also check out our list of the best modern classics to encounter the great ideas of literary geniuses from the twentieth century.
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Yen Cabag is the Blog Writer of TCK Publishing. She is also a homeschooling mom, family coach, and speaker for the Charlotte Mason method, an educational philosophy that places great emphasis on classic literature and the masterpieces in art and music. She has also written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. Her passion is to see the next generation of children become lovers of reading and learning in the midst of short attention spans.
