Kevin Mac Donnell is owner of Mac Donnell Rare Books (macdonnellrarebooks.com), an independent researcher, and is owner of the largest collection of Mark Twain materials in private hands, consisting of more than 11,000 items including first editions, original manuscripts and photographs, relics and personal belongings, original archives, scholarly books about Twain, more than 350 books from Twain's library, over 1,000 original letters by Twain, his wife, and daughters, and other research materials. These are frequently made available to colleagues for use in their books and journal articles (at no charge). Besides the books and articles described elsewhere on this webpage, Mac Donnell has written numerous articles on bookselling and library topics for various books, journals and newsletters. He is on the editorial boards of two journals. His essay about his discovery of the true origin of Samuel L. Clemens's famous nom de plume went viral at Salon.com and Huffington Post, and was noted by the Chronicle of Higher Education as "Research of Note." In 2016 he was honored as a "Legacy Scholar" by the Mark Twain Journal. Phone: 512-345-4139 Address: Austin, Texas
Critical Insights: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Ed. R. Kent Rasmussen, 2022
This is the sixth of sixteen previously unpublished essays about THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER (18... more This is the sixth of sixteen previously unpublished essays about THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER (1876) in this volume, tracing Tom's devolving role from a classic lovable rambunctious boy-book character into an immature racist foil to Huck Finn's maturing character in Twain's great coming-of-age novel, ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN (1885). This essay also explains how the controversial "Evasion Chapters" function as an essential and effective part of Twain's masterpiece by showing Tom's descent into a racist hellion. Surprisingly, this volume is the first collection of never before published essays on TOM SAWYER.
The last two chapters of this five-chapter biography are based in large part on documents, record... more The last two chapters of this five-chapter biography are based in large part on documents, records, information, and interviews with Kevin Mac Donnell, who was employed by John Jenkins from 1980-1986.
Chapter 4 is "Biographies," a broad survey of the many biographies written about Mark Twain, begi... more Chapter 4 is "Biographies," a broad survey of the many biographies written about Mark Twain, beginning in his lifetime and continuing to the present day, exploring the different approaches, problems, and sourcing associated with Twain biography.
Papers and transcripts of a conference on the infamous "Texas forgeries" fabricated and sold by D... more Papers and transcripts of a conference on the infamous "Texas forgeries" fabricated and sold by Dorman David, William Simpson, Ray Walton, and John Jenkins in the 1970s and 1980s. My comments on the reluctance of booksellers, librarians, and collectors to seek legal remedies in order to recover stolen items, expose forgeries, or otherwise get the facts out on the table are quoted at pp. 59-60.
Critical Insights: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Ed. R. Kent Rasmussen, 2017
This essay, the second of thirteen new essays on ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN in this book, exa... more This essay, the second of thirteen new essays on ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN in this book, examines readers' reactions to Mark Twain's masterpiece from the time of its publication in 1885 to the present day, introducing much new evidence and debunking some long-accepted misconceptions. The reactions of general readers, children, book reviewers, well-known authors, educators, critics, and scholars are surveyed as they respond to HUCKLEBERRY FINN as a text in various print formats, in film, and in other media.
This symposium featured papers presented by more than half of the essayists who contributed to th... more This symposium featured papers presented by more than half of the essayists who contributed to the book edited by Kevin Mac Donnell and R. Kent Rasmussen. Like the essays in the book, the papers were wide-ranging on all topics related to Mark Twain's life and writings, including his own childhood, his parenting, youth culture in the 19th century, his major and minor writings dealing with youth themes, and teaching Mark Twain in the classroom.
Co-edited with R. Kent Rasmussen. This collection of twenty-six previously unpublished essays by ... more Co-edited with R. Kent Rasmussen. This collection of twenty-six previously unpublished essays by the major Mark Twain scholars writing today is the first book-length examination of the theme of youth in Mark Twain's life and writings to be published since 1961, and draws heavily on the massive amount of Mark Twain materials that have come to light in the last fifty-five years. Included are essays on his own childhood, his children, his major and minor writings, his readings, race, gender, aging, and Mark Twain's reception in the classroom. Foreword by Hal Holbrook.
This fully annotated and well-illustrated catalog descibes the private collection of Kevin Mac Do... more This fully annotated and well-illustrated catalog descibes the private collection of Kevin Mac Donnell acquired by The Thoreau Institute at Walden Woods in 2014. The collection consists of 366 items, including first editions, original manuscripts, two books from Thoreau's library, books owned by Thoreau's family and friends, and other primary research materials.
`The Bookseller's Perspective' by Kevin Mac Donnell is chapter 3, pp. 53-64.
`Writers on Their... more `The Bookseller's Perspective' by Kevin Mac Donnell is chapter 3, pp. 53-64.
`Writers on Their Libraries: Interviews Conducted by Richard Oram and Kevin Mac Donnell' is chapter 6, pp. 85-105. Interviews with Russell Banks, Ron Powers, Ian Sinclair, Ted Kooser, and Jim Crace.
Gainesville: University of Florida, 1986. Fully annotated descriptions of the 46 items in this im... more Gainesville: University of Florida, 1986. Fully annotated descriptions of the 46 items in this important collection.
Gainesville: University of Florida, 1992. Fully annotated descriptions of the 339 books, manuscri... more Gainesville: University of Florida, 1992. Fully annotated descriptions of the 339 books, manuscripts, letters, and other items in this important collection.
New York, 1993. Contributed four articles on rare Mark Twain books, Mark Twain forgeries, the var... more New York, 1993. Contributed four articles on rare Mark Twain books, Mark Twain forgeries, the various auctions of Mark Twain's estate, and Katherine Harrison.
My fourth essay on the discovery of the likely true source of Mark Twain's nom de plume, laying t... more My fourth essay on the discovery of the likely true source of Mark Twain's nom de plume, laying to rest, once and for all, the flimsy but endearing bar tab hoax by Alfred Doten that has managed to fool some people for more than 150 years, outliving Doten's other hoaxes.
Critical Insights: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Ed. R. Kent Rasmussen, 2022
This is the sixth of sixteen previously unpublished essays about THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER (18... more This is the sixth of sixteen previously unpublished essays about THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER (1876) in this volume, tracing Tom's devolving role from a classic lovable rambunctious boy-book character into an immature racist foil to Huck Finn's maturing character in Twain's great coming-of-age novel, ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN (1885). This essay also explains how the controversial "Evasion Chapters" function as an essential and effective part of Twain's masterpiece by showing Tom's descent into a racist hellion. Surprisingly, this volume is the first collection of never before published essays on TOM SAWYER.
The last two chapters of this five-chapter biography are based in large part on documents, record... more The last two chapters of this five-chapter biography are based in large part on documents, records, information, and interviews with Kevin Mac Donnell, who was employed by John Jenkins from 1980-1986.
Chapter 4 is "Biographies," a broad survey of the many biographies written about Mark Twain, begi... more Chapter 4 is "Biographies," a broad survey of the many biographies written about Mark Twain, beginning in his lifetime and continuing to the present day, exploring the different approaches, problems, and sourcing associated with Twain biography.
Papers and transcripts of a conference on the infamous "Texas forgeries" fabricated and sold by D... more Papers and transcripts of a conference on the infamous "Texas forgeries" fabricated and sold by Dorman David, William Simpson, Ray Walton, and John Jenkins in the 1970s and 1980s. My comments on the reluctance of booksellers, librarians, and collectors to seek legal remedies in order to recover stolen items, expose forgeries, or otherwise get the facts out on the table are quoted at pp. 59-60.
Critical Insights: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Ed. R. Kent Rasmussen, 2017
This essay, the second of thirteen new essays on ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN in this book, exa... more This essay, the second of thirteen new essays on ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN in this book, examines readers' reactions to Mark Twain's masterpiece from the time of its publication in 1885 to the present day, introducing much new evidence and debunking some long-accepted misconceptions. The reactions of general readers, children, book reviewers, well-known authors, educators, critics, and scholars are surveyed as they respond to HUCKLEBERRY FINN as a text in various print formats, in film, and in other media.
This symposium featured papers presented by more than half of the essayists who contributed to th... more This symposium featured papers presented by more than half of the essayists who contributed to the book edited by Kevin Mac Donnell and R. Kent Rasmussen. Like the essays in the book, the papers were wide-ranging on all topics related to Mark Twain's life and writings, including his own childhood, his parenting, youth culture in the 19th century, his major and minor writings dealing with youth themes, and teaching Mark Twain in the classroom.
Co-edited with R. Kent Rasmussen. This collection of twenty-six previously unpublished essays by ... more Co-edited with R. Kent Rasmussen. This collection of twenty-six previously unpublished essays by the major Mark Twain scholars writing today is the first book-length examination of the theme of youth in Mark Twain's life and writings to be published since 1961, and draws heavily on the massive amount of Mark Twain materials that have come to light in the last fifty-five years. Included are essays on his own childhood, his children, his major and minor writings, his readings, race, gender, aging, and Mark Twain's reception in the classroom. Foreword by Hal Holbrook.
This fully annotated and well-illustrated catalog descibes the private collection of Kevin Mac Do... more This fully annotated and well-illustrated catalog descibes the private collection of Kevin Mac Donnell acquired by The Thoreau Institute at Walden Woods in 2014. The collection consists of 366 items, including first editions, original manuscripts, two books from Thoreau's library, books owned by Thoreau's family and friends, and other primary research materials.
`The Bookseller's Perspective' by Kevin Mac Donnell is chapter 3, pp. 53-64.
`Writers on Their... more `The Bookseller's Perspective' by Kevin Mac Donnell is chapter 3, pp. 53-64.
`Writers on Their Libraries: Interviews Conducted by Richard Oram and Kevin Mac Donnell' is chapter 6, pp. 85-105. Interviews with Russell Banks, Ron Powers, Ian Sinclair, Ted Kooser, and Jim Crace.
Gainesville: University of Florida, 1986. Fully annotated descriptions of the 46 items in this im... more Gainesville: University of Florida, 1986. Fully annotated descriptions of the 46 items in this important collection.
Gainesville: University of Florida, 1992. Fully annotated descriptions of the 339 books, manuscri... more Gainesville: University of Florida, 1992. Fully annotated descriptions of the 339 books, manuscripts, letters, and other items in this important collection.
New York, 1993. Contributed four articles on rare Mark Twain books, Mark Twain forgeries, the var... more New York, 1993. Contributed four articles on rare Mark Twain books, Mark Twain forgeries, the various auctions of Mark Twain's estate, and Katherine Harrison.
My fourth essay on the discovery of the likely true source of Mark Twain's nom de plume, laying t... more My fourth essay on the discovery of the likely true source of Mark Twain's nom de plume, laying to rest, once and for all, the flimsy but endearing bar tab hoax by Alfred Doten that has managed to fool some people for more than 150 years, outliving Doten's other hoaxes.
This is the first biography of George Griffin, one of the three black men in Mark Twain's life wh... more This is the first biography of George Griffin, one of the three black men in Mark Twain's life who were models for the character Jim in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885). It also reveals the newly discovered only known photograph of Mr. Griffin. At 20,000 words, with nearly 200 end-notes, this biography explores his life before and after his seventeen years as butler for the Clemens family (living next-door to Harriet Beecher Stowe), including his experiences as an enslaved child, body servant to a Union general in the Civil War, waiter, butler, banker, church deacon, gambler, surrogate father, husband, and biological father. A 30 minute summary of this biography was presented as a talk at the Mark Twain House & Museum in Hartford on May 14, 2024, followed by a panel discussion led by Steve Courtney, with AME pastor, Rev. Samuel Blanks and historian Dr. Camesha Scruggs. This talk and discussion can be viewed using the link to the video on Youtube.
This paper is based on a newly discovered journal kept by one of the 75 pilgrims who traveled to ... more This paper is based on a newly discovered journal kept by one of the 75 pilgrims who traveled to Europe, the Holy Land, and Egypt, on board the steamship Quaker City, along with Mark Twain, who made this excursion the basis for his first bestselling book, The Innocents Abroad.
An account of the discovery and authentication of a previously unknown early work by Mark Twain, ... more An account of the discovery and authentication of a previously unknown early work by Mark Twain, in the form of a unique surviving broadside that prints Twain's burlesque rules of behavior for a dinner he co-hosted in San Francisco's Lick House at May 1868.
An assessment of the fine printing achievement of Timothy Hawley, as displayed in his printings o... more An assessment of the fine printing achievement of Timothy Hawley, as displayed in his printings of the works of Mark Twain.
A Brief Review of the Twain-Webster RelationshipThe story of the relationship between Mark Twain ... more A Brief Review of the Twain-Webster RelationshipThe story of the relationship between Mark Twain and his hapless nephew has been told many times, and accounts for at least two books devoted to the subject and entire chapters in several others.1 On September 28,1875 at 11:00 a.m. Charles Luther Webster married Annie Moffett, the daughter of Twain's sister Pamela, and became Twain's nephew. In 1881 Twain invested in a watch company at Webster's urging, but Webster soon learned the investment was a fraud and helped Twain bully the company into repaying him the next year. At about that same time Webster discovered that Twain's investment in the Kaolotype process with Dan Slote was not what it was supposed to be either (Powers 452). Having earned Twain's gratitude and trust, in May of 1884 Twain and Webster signed a contract that put Webster in charge of Twain's newly formed publishing company, Charles L. Webster and Company, but despite the spectacular successes ...
By the time nineteen-year-old Sam Clemens reported for work at his brother's printing busines... more By the time nineteen-year-old Sam Clemens reported for work at his brother's printing business in Keokuk, Iowa in the summer of 1855, he was an experienced typesetter who had worked in Hannibal, St. Louis, New York and Philadelphia, an avid reader who'd spent hours taking full advantage of the 3,000-volume printers' association library while working in New York (Letters 1:12n 10), and a seasoned traveler. He was also a budding author who had seen his small body of writings appear in several newspapers, some as far away as Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.1 Some of those early writings were carefully structured (most notably the frame narrative of "The Dandy Frightening the Squatter" that appeared in The Carpet Bag) and others reflected writing styles that hint at his own reading habits, like the Cooperesque phrasings that adorn his sketch about Hannibal that appeared in The American Courier. The older Mark Twain might have been able to indict Cooper for eighteen ...
The first thing one notices about the young woman who fixes us with a steady gaze is her wide fac... more The first thing one notices about the young woman who fixes us with a steady gaze is her wide face; one could even say it is oblong. She's held that gaze for nearly 160 years from the safe confines of the ambrotype photograph she sat for in Keokuk, Iowa for a traditional "sweet sixteen" portrait. Sheltered by the original sturdy little embossed leather case that holds her image, she has seldom had her gaze returned. Over the years her descendants must have occasionally opened the case and glanced at her portrait, but it seems likely the man whose sweetheart she once was never cast his eyes on her again as her youth faded and his fame spread. Her gaze is captivating, if for no other reason than her big dark brown or black eyes-the second thing one notices about her. When the photograph is put under magnification it's obvious she had lightly penciled her eyebrows; she was particular about her appearance. She has a slightly pug nose. She wears a large finely cut cameo...
If name recognition alone were the sole criterion for being a Legacy Scholar, Kent Rasmussen woul... more If name recognition alone were the sole criterion for being a Legacy Scholar, Kent Rasmussen would already have owned the title thanks to his magnum opus, Mark Twain A to Z, which has outsold the average book about Mark Twain by a ratio of more than ten to one. More thumb-smudged copies of this venerable tome are kept close at hand on the desks and bookshelves of Twain readers than any other single book about Mark Twain, and most readers consider it the default hardcopy portal to all things Twainian. One Twain scholar I polled even admitted to keeping three copies in his office so that one is always within reach! That's a bit extreme; I only keep two around. Shelley Fisher Fishkin, editor of the Oxford Mark Twain, reports that she keeps one copy in her office and another at home, and wishes she could keep one in every room. It would be reasonable to assume that a trusted reference work of such massive scope would represent the culmination of years of research by a seasoned and d...
On the afternoon of Easter Sunday, April 2, 1893, young Willie Stebbins and his friends in Mound ... more On the afternoon of Easter Sunday, April 2, 1893, young Willie Stebbins and his friends in Mound City, Missouri attended Sunday-school. Late that night, under a full moon, four masked men crept menacingly through the shadowy aisles of the town's dry goods store. Suddenly the lights came on and the owner of the store, "Ed" Shellenberger (whose full name was Erasmus Dorvin Shellenberger), who had been expecting a break-in because the entire town had been in the grip of an unrelenting burgling crime spree for months, ordered them to stand still. One masked intruder, however, bolted for the door. A shot rang out and the fleeing robber fell mortally wounded as the other three desperados escaped. The mask was pulled away from the dying criminal's face and, lo and behold, there lay Willie Stebbins, the sixteen-year-old son of a prominent local family! Before Willie died he confessed that he and ten of his friends had sworn hideous blood oaths and formed a gang modeled on ...
When Mark that invited would Twain's reflect to death, contribute my this feelings original a... more When Mark that invited would Twain's reflect to death, contribute my this feelings original an image about 1885 for poster the the 100th Mark advertising anniversary Twain the Annual first of that would reflect my feelings about the 100th anniversary of Mark Twain's death, this original 1885 poster advertising the fi st edition of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn came immediately to mind. I was also invited to engage in a "thought experiment" explaining my choice. Inviting me to perform any kind of experiment is inviting calamity, so perhaps my choice will seem cautious and safe. Choosing anything pertaining to Huck Finn seems too easy, too obvious, even a cliche. Besides, in forty-two years of collecting things Twainian I've accumulated nearly 8,000 books, photos, letters, and other objects, and many are more visually striking or more historically relevant than this poster. Things come to mind that are more intimately connected to Mark Twain-his 1868 stylographic pen, his elaborately gilded inkstand, a pair of glasses, a shaving mirror, the felt-topped card table on which he and his angelfish were playing cards when photographed at Stormfield, a silk keepsake printed in his presence at the Oxford University Press in 1907, a gilded Tiffany chalice given to him at a dinner with Andrew Carnegie and Thomas Edison, his gold Phi Beta Kappa key from University of Missouri, a sterling silver demitasse spoon given to him during his last visit to Hannibal in 1902, a worn out pipe he handed off to an elevator company executive, an ivory statue of Tom Sawyer he kept on his mantle, a portion of his personal "archive" of photographic portraits-some with his and Livy's loving inscriptions and other objects including 250 volumes from his personal library; his Lecky, his Franklin, his Cervantes, quite a few Howells, his Artemus Ward, his Paradise Lost (did Twain actually read this classic?), one of his Bibles, and the Longfellow volume he was reading at the very moment when Sociable Jimmy knocked at his door.
Tribute to Hal Holbrook, describing his character, his distinguished career, and his portrayal of... more Tribute to Hal Holbrook, describing his character, his distinguished career, and his portrayal of Mark Twain for sixty-eight years.
This essay presents some additional evidence on the true source of Samuel Clemens's famous nom de... more This essay presents some additional evidence on the true source of Samuel Clemens's famous nom de plume (and refutes a ridiculous assertion that the "bar tab yarn" is true).
This essay is a revised and updated text of an essay that appeared in the Mark Twain Journal in 2... more This essay is a revised and updated text of an essay that appeared in the Mark Twain Journal in 2006.
This essay separates the facts and rumors surrounding the six times that Mark Twain's voice was r... more This essay separates the facts and rumors surrounding the six times that Mark Twain's voice was recorded, reviews the imitators and impersonators who were active during his lifetime (and Twain's opinion of one of them) and connects one of them directly to Hal Holbrook's incomparable impersonation of Mark Twain. New evidence is presented that answers the question of whether Twain's famous drawl was genuine or part of his stage persona, and new documentary evidence is also presented that establishes exactly how slowly (words per minute) he spoke. This 20,000 word essay concludes with why Mark Twain's physical voice is essential to an understanding of his writings in a way that does not apply to any other American author. The talk I gave on this topic for the Mark Twain House & Museum "The Trouble Begins" series can be viewed on Youtube. Click the "file" link on this page to view that talk.
This essay is a follow-up to my initial discovery of the first appearance in print of "Mark Twain... more This essay is a follow-up to my initial discovery of the first appearance in print of "Mark Twain" used a proper name, in `Vanity Fair', a comic magazine which Samuel Clemens read. My original essay in the Spring 2012 Mark Twain Journal presented the evidence at hand at that time. This follow-up essay presents startling new documentary and photographic evidence that places this magazine in Carson City, Nevada just a few feet from Twain himself, at the very time Sam Clemens adopted the name as his nom de plume.
Much expanded from the paper delivered in Elmira, Quaker themes in Mark Twain's masterpiece are t... more Much expanded from the paper delivered in Elmira, Quaker themes in Mark Twain's masterpiece are traced through his extensive Quaker readings, his many Quaker friends, and his own Quaker roots.
This 13,000 word essay is a comprehensive history of Mark Twain biographies before and after Pain... more This 13,000 word essay is a comprehensive history of Mark Twain biographies before and after Paine's monumental work, a detailed account of how Paine came to write Twain's biography, an analysis of the work itself and its several derivative forms, and the responses of critics, readers, and Twain's closest family and friends.
Chosen as the sixth Mark Twain Legacy Scholar, this issue of the Mark Twain Journal contains five... more Chosen as the sixth Mark Twain Legacy Scholar, this issue of the Mark Twain Journal contains five articles about my life and career: Barbara Schmidt, Twain scholar and owner of the widely respected Twainquotes.com website, writes about my Mark Twain collection; Steve Hamilton, attorney and friend of more than fifty years, writes about my personal life; the late Lawrence I. Berkove, emeritus professor and Twain scholar/author/editor, writes about my scholarship; Gregory Gibson, best-selling author, writes about my bookselling career; and John Busch, Austin engineer and civic activist, writes about my civic activities.
The full story behind a hapless teenager shot by a shop owner during a burglary in 1893, who supp... more The full story behind a hapless teenager shot by a shop owner during a burglary in 1893, who supposedly claimed before he died that he had been inspired to a life of crime by Tom Sawyer's Gang in `Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.'
This 30 minute talk is a brief summary of Mr. Griffin's remarkable life, based on the 20,000 word... more This 30 minute talk is a brief summary of Mr. Griffin's remarkable life, based on the 20,000 word biography of Mr. Griffin published in the Mark Twain Journal 62:1 (Spring 2024) 10-58, which explores his life before and after his seventeen years as the butler for the Clemens family (living next-door to Harriet Beecher Stowe), including his experiences as an enslaved child, body servant to a Union general in the Civil War, waiter, butler, banker, church deacon, gambler, surrogate father, husband, and biological father. Griffin is one of three black men in Twain's life who were models for the character Jim in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885). This talk was followed by a panel discussion led by Steve Courtney, with AME pastor Rev. Samuel Blanks and historian Dr. Camesha Scruggs. Toward the end of the talk I reveal the newly discovered only known photograph of Mr. Griffin. The link will take you the video on Youtube.
Mark Twain House & Museum, Hartford, September 28, 2022
Panel discussion of Mark Twain's famous novel, featuring the editor and four essayists from the b... more Panel discussion of Mark Twain's famous novel, featuring the editor and four essayists from the book Critical Insights: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. The speakers are editor R. Kent Rasmussen, with essayists Barbara Schmidt, Dr. Patrick Ober, and Kevin Mac Donnell.
This one hour virtual tour in the private library of Kevin Mac Donnell examines the commercial us... more This one hour virtual tour in the private library of Kevin Mac Donnell examines the commercial use of Mark Twain's name and image to promote an astonishing variety of products and services, beginning with Twain's own exploitation of his brand, as well as the use of his name and image by others during his lifetime and after, some authorized but most not. His brand was used to advertise an endless assortment of commercial goods and enterprises. This talk was recorded as part of the Mark Twain House & Museum "The Trouble Begins" lecture series, and can be viewed on youtube. Click the "file" link on this page to view this talk.
Mark Twain House and Museum, Hartford, May 19, 2021
This one-hour video features a guided tour of the private Mark Twain collection of Kevin Mac Donn... more This one-hour video features a guided tour of the private Mark Twain collection of Kevin Mac Donnell, which includes over 10,000 items--60 linear feet of first editions, 25 linear feet of English and Canadian first editions, 10 linear feet of foreign translations from his lifetime, 200 original Mark Twain letters, over 800 original letters from other family members and associates, 1,600 original photographs, 340 volumes from Twain's personal library, and more than 100 of Twain's personal possessions including his desk, a pen he used from 1868-1882, his gilded inkstand, a library table, table-lamp, chairs, a card table, a pair of his glasses, silverware, his gold PBK key, the guestbook for his last home, etc. Conservation and research issues are also discussed, followed by a Q&A. This talk was recorded as part of the Mark Twain House and Museum "The Trouble Begins" lecture series, and can be viewed on youtube. Click the "file" link on this page to view this talk.
Mark Twain House and Museum, Hartford, October, 2020
This one hour talk is based on my 57pp. essay in the Mark Twain Journal. The focus of this talk i... more This one hour talk is based on my 57pp. essay in the Mark Twain Journal. The focus of this talk is on Twain's physical voice, not his literary voice. Evidence is presented that establishes the precise nature of his drawl and the number of words he spoke per minute. Imitators and impersonators who performed during his lifetime are identified. The facts and fictions surrounding the six times Twain's voice was recorded are sorted out. Finally, the performances of impersonator William Gillette, who knew Twain, are discussed, along with Hal Holbrook's masterful impersonation of Twain, and a surprising direct link between Twain, Gillette, and Holbrook is revealed for the first time. This talk was recorded as part of the Mark Twain House and Museum "The Trouble Begins" lecture series, and can be viewed on youtube. Click the "file" link on this page to view this talk.
Eighth International Mark Twain Conference, Elmira, New York, 2017
This presentation was a preview of a forthcoming essay tracing the tenets of Quakerism in Adventu... more This presentation was a preview of a forthcoming essay tracing the tenets of Quakerism in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, including a review of the persecution of Quakers in America, Twain's Quaker family and friends, Twain's Quaker readings, and the very book Twain was reading when he experienced an encounter that may have led him to equate the persecution of Quakers with the persecution of African-Americans. The much expanded essay based on this talk appeared in the Fall 2018 Mark Twain Journal.
Mark Twain Conference, Hannibal-LaGrange University, Hannibal, Missouri, July 24-27, 2019
This twenty-minute presentation separates the facts from the rumors surrounding the six times Mar... more This twenty-minute presentation separates the facts from the rumors surrounding the six times Mark Twain's voice was recorded during his lifetime, reviews the imitators and impersonators who were active during his lifetime (and Twain's opinion of one of them) and connects one of them directly to Hal Holbrook's incomparable impersonation of Mark Twain. New evidence is presented that answers the question of whether Twain's famous drawl was genuine or part of his stage persona, and new documentary evidence is also presented that establishes exactly how slowly (words per minute) he spoke. The talk concludes with why all of this matters in the case of Mark Twain more than it does for most authors. An extended essay (19,000 words) on this topic appears in the Fall 2019 Mark Twain Journal.
Mark Twain House & Museum, The Trouble Begins at 5:30 Lecture Series, May 22, 2019
This one hour talk presents additional evidence of the true origin of Samuel Clemens's nom de plu... more This one hour talk presents additional evidence of the true origin of Samuel Clemens's nom de plume. The evidence consists of startling contemporary documentary and photographic evidence that proves that the source of his nom de plume was--literally-ten paces from where he stood when he stepped off the stagecoach in Carson City in August 1861. The article presenting this previously unknown evidence appeared in the Spring 2019 issue of the Mark Twain Journal (57:1).
University of Texas OLLI-LAMP Lecture, April 23, , 2019
This one hour talk traces the arc of Mark Twain's spiritual growth from the time he took on his n... more This one hour talk traces the arc of Mark Twain's spiritual growth from the time he took on his nom de plume, to the ending of ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN, documenting his evolution from racist to humanist. The true origin of his pen-name is discussed as well as his reasons for concocting a cover story to hide its source. The influences of his extensive travels, voracious reading, and his marriage on his spiritual development are also documented. The talk concludes with a discussion of the influence of Quakerism on the writing of HUCK FINN, and a modest proposal to read the novel instead of banning it.
An expanded version of the paper delivered at the International Mark Twain Conference of 2017 at ... more An expanded version of the paper delivered at the International Mark Twain Conference of 2017 at Elmira, New York, an exploration of Mark Twain's Quaker ancestors, friends, and readings, and how these shaped the "counter-theology" that underpins the motive, the moral, and the plot of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
Eighth International Mark Twain Conference, Elmira, New York, 2017
A virtual tour following the exact route of Mark Twain and his fellow pilgrims on the Quaker City... more A virtual tour following the exact route of Mark Twain and his fellow pilgrims on the Quaker City Excursion of 1867, the trip which resulted in his first best-selling book. More than 200 PowerPoint slides were included, showing each stop along the way, including many previously unpublished photographs, letters, and diary entries, as well as many relics gathered by the pilgrims, all presented for the first time.
The Mark Twain House & Museum, Hartford, Connecticut, 2017
A virtual tour following the exact route of Mark Twain and his fellow pilgrims on the Quaker City... more A virtual tour following the exact route of Mark Twain and his fellow pilgrims on the Quaker City Excursion of 1867, the trip which resulted in his first best-selling book. More than 200 PowerPoint slides were included, showing each stop along the way, including many previously unpublished photographs, letters, and diary entries, as well as many relics gathered by the pilgrims, all presented for the first time.
A lavishly illustrated lecture (75 Power Point slides) describing how a Mark Twain library of mor... more A lavishly illustrated lecture (75 Power Point slides) describing how a Mark Twain library of more than 9,000 books, letters, relics, photographs, and other materials was formed, housed, catalogued, and is made available for research.
The Mark Twain House & Museum, Hartford, Connecticut, 2016
A detailed investigation into the truths and half-truths surrounding a burglary in the 1890s that... more A detailed investigation into the truths and half-truths surrounding a burglary in the 1890s that resulted in the death of a teenage boy, who, according to an outraged newspaper editor, had been inspired to organize a gang of robbers based on Tom Sawyer's Gang, as described in `Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' and `The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.'
Samuel Clemens Conference, Hannibal, Missouri, 2015
A detailed investigation into the truths and half-truths surrounding a burglary in the 1890s that... more A detailed investigation into the truths and half-truths surrounding a burglary in the 1890s that resulted in the death of a teenage boy, who, according to an outraged newspaper editor, had been inspired to organize a gang of robbers based on Tom Sawyer's Gang, as described in `The Adventures of Tom Sawyer' and `Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.'
The Mark Twain House & Museum, Hartford, Connecticut, 2015
One hour talk and Q & A about my discovery of Mark Twain's first adult sweetheart, including the ... more One hour talk and Q & A about my discovery of Mark Twain's first adult sweetheart, including the details of her life and her family, the documented proof of their relationship, and even her photograph. She was preceded by a string of childhood infatuations and flirtations and followed by others until he married Olivia Langdon.
The Mark Twain House & Museum, Hartford, Connecticut, 2014
One hour talk explaining how Sam Clemens found "Mark Twain" used as a proper name in a New York j... more One hour talk explaining how Sam Clemens found "Mark Twain" used as a proper name in a New York journal and adopted the name as his own nom de plume.
International Mark Twain Conference, Elmira, New York, 2013
The announcement of the discovery of the actual print source from 1861 for Mark Twain's famous no... more The announcement of the discovery of the actual print source from 1861 for Mark Twain's famous nom de plume, and how he came to find it and adopt it as his own in Carson City in 1863. This discovery refutes the long-accepted conventional wisdom on how Twain came to choose his pen-name.
Book review of this collection of ten Twain stories with original illustrations from their past a... more Book review of this collection of ten Twain stories with original illustrations from their past appearances in print.
book review of this selection of 275 of the approximately 600 surviving letters written by Mark T... more book review of this selection of 275 of the approximately 600 surviving letters written by Mark Twain's wife
book review of Harris's account of taking a class on Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Harris was t... more book review of Harris's account of taking a class on Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Harris was the only black student in the class and describes his feelings when hearing the word "nigger" spoken by his fellow white students.
book review of this non-partisan book that gathers together in a coherent presentation Mark Twain... more book review of this non-partisan book that gathers together in a coherent presentation Mark Twain's comments on government, corruption, economic, separation church & state, a free press, foreign policy, voter suppression, patriotism, SCOTUS, governance, and politics.
book review of the 2018 revised second edition. The first edition was published in 2016 with cont... more book review of the 2018 revised second edition. The first edition was published in 2016 with content that was removed from this second edition. For details, see the review of the first edition.
Interview by Kirstin Fawcett with Mark Twain scholar and collector Kevin Mac Donnell, featuring i... more Interview by Kirstin Fawcett with Mark Twain scholar and collector Kevin Mac Donnell, featuring images of eight highspots from his extensive holdings together with the stories behind them.
30 minute interview with Kevin Mac Donnell about his review of MARK TWAIN'S AMERICA by Harry L. K... more 30 minute interview with Kevin Mac Donnell about his review of MARK TWAIN'S AMERICA by Harry L. Katz and the Library of Congress, in which substantial plagiarism was exposed from several sources, in addition to at least 125 significant factual errors. On December 9, 2014 the Library of Congress issued a statement admitting guilt. A lawsuit for copyright infringement was later filed by Rasmussen and one other victim whose work was stolen, and was subsequently settled in their favor.
30 minute interview with Kevin Mac Donnell discussing his discovery of the probable true source o... more 30 minute interview with Kevin Mac Donnell discussing his discovery of the probable true source of Sam Clemens's famous nom de plume `Mark Twain.'
A 30 minute video interview about the antiquarian book trade, done as part of a series with membe... more A 30 minute video interview about the antiquarian book trade, done as part of a series with members of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America (ABAA), the oldest professional association of rare book dealers.
Historian and journalist James E. Williams interviews Mac Donnell and several other booksellers a... more Historian and journalist James E. Williams interviews Mac Donnell and several other booksellers about the antiquarian book trade in the age of the internet.
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`Writers on Their Libraries: Interviews Conducted by Richard Oram and Kevin Mac Donnell' is chapter 6, pp. 85-105. Interviews with Russell Banks, Ron Powers, Ian Sinclair, Ted Kooser, and Jim Crace.
`Writers on Their Libraries: Interviews Conducted by Richard Oram and Kevin Mac Donnell' is chapter 6, pp. 85-105. Interviews with Russell Banks, Ron Powers, Ian Sinclair, Ted Kooser, and Jim Crace.