Mark Twain, born Samuel Langhorne Clemens on November 30, 1835, in Florida, Missouri, was an American writer, humorist, and public figure. He grew up in Hannibal, a river town that later inspired the setting for some of his most famous works. Before turning to writing full-time, he worked as a printer’s apprentice, a riverboat pilot, and a journalist. Twain gained national fame with The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County in 1865. He went on to write classics like The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885), often considered the first great American novel. His writing is known for its wit, satire, and keen observation of human nature and social issues, especially race and class. Despite his literary success, Twain faced personal and financial hardships, including bankruptcy and the deaths of his wife and children. He died on April 21, 1910, but remains one of America’s most influential and quoted writers.