Mark Twain completed his autobiography more than a century ago. But he told his publishers that they would not be able to publish it till 100 years after his death – which happens to be this year.
The century-long embargo freed Twain “to say exactly what he [thought], and so in a way he doesn’t have anyone looking over his shoulder.”
The Autobiography of Mark Twain, Vol. 1 is already topping the bestseller lists of both Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Twain wrote (actually, dictated) the autobiography in a stream of consciousness manner, rather than telling the story chronologically, which allowed power and passion to pour forth in his top-of-mind accounts.
This 760-page unabridged, uncensored memoir is just the beginning. Two more volumes are to follow in coming years.
(READ more in the CS Monitor)