Mark Twain

Tom Sawyer Mark Twain

Tom Sawyer is an novel by Mark Twain about a young boy growing up along the Mississippi River. It is set in the 1840s in the town of St. Petersburg, which is based on Hannibal, Missouri where Twain lived as a boy. In the novel Tom Sawyer has several adventures, often with his friend Huckleberry Finn. Originally a commercial failure, the book ended up being the best selling of any of Twain's works during his lifetime. Though overshadowed by its sequel, Huckleberry Finn, the book is now considered to be a masterpiece of American literature. It was one of the first novels to be written on a typewriter. Twain grew up in Hannibal, Missouri, which would later provide the setting for Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. He became a master riverboat pilot on the Mississippi River, before heading west. He was a failure at gold mining, so he next turned to journalism. While a reporter, he wrote a humorous story, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County," which proved to be very popular and brought him nationwide attention. His travelogues were also well-received. Twain had found his calling. He achieved great success as a writer and public speaker.