To CONTACT the Australian Mark Twain Society, paste the following line into the address bar of your email program [deleting the bit in the middle]:
info@[remove]marktwain.com.au
Mark Twain in 2010 ...
This site offers a mixture of news about Mark Twain in Australasia ... plus snippets of Artemus Ward (because the world really should know about both).
If you're serious about Mark Twain there is one journal you can't afford to miss. The Mark Twain Circle provides readers with the latest Twain scholarship around the world. It is truly an indispensable asset to anyone interested in Twain. Become a member of the MTC by downloading an application here.
In August 2009, it was my privilege to present a paper at the Sixth International Conference into Mark Twain Studies at Elmira (upstate New York). The conference was a wonderful experience, rubbing shoulders for three days with many of the biggest names in Twain scholarship. More ...
I've writen about Twain's previously undocumented connections with colonial Australia and New Zealand. For more information about "The ‘Petrified Man’ Returns: An Early Mark Twain Hoax makes an Unexpected Appearance in Australasia," visit the Australasian Journal of American Studies.
Read what they said in the Ballarat Courier when Twain arrived in Ballarat in October 1895
NEW: Rare Artemus Ward letter to 12-year-old girl re-discovered in colonial Australian newspaper
- FEATURE: We have added a comprehensive list of Twain's writing that's available online. Choose from a wide range of titles and essays.
- IF YOU'RE looking for yet more serious discussion about Twain, we recommend you visit
the Mark Twain Circle.
To contact AMTS, type the following address
into the address line of your email program.
FOUNDED IN 2007
The Australian Mark Twain Society (AMTS) brings together readers who are interested in the life and works of the famous American writer, Samuel Langhorne Clemens 1835-1910.
AMTS encourages awareness and analysis of the vast river of Twain output, which began in the late 1850s and continued until shortly before the author's death at his home in Redding, Connecticut, a century ago.
In addition, AMTS provides short information seminars to interested community groups, and aims to play an active role in ongoing literary research into Mark Twain and his visit to Australasia in 1895.
Donations of books, newspaper clippings and any other material relating to Mark Twain are most welcome. If you or your family have a story about Twain's visit to Australia, please be sure to share it with us.
Scroll down for more information
CAN YOU HELP? — READER QUERY
The Australian Mark Twain Society welcomes queries from the curious. If you can help with any of the following queries, please be sure to contact this website's editor at info@[remove]marktwain.com.au
American author Stacy A. Nyikos asks ...
"I am looking for a direct mention by Mark Twain himself of Pelorus Jack. It would be some time after 1895, which was when he visited New Zealand. He's mentioned talking about the dolphin both in an Alan Mulgan article (New Zealand Railways, 1938) when he refers to the dolphin's story as a fish story that's actually true. CN Baeyertz gave a speech to the Lamb's Club about Pelorus, which was later corroborated by Mark Twain."
Australian author Chris Holyday writes ...
Although I have read Mark Twain widely, Henry Lawson said that he had read "all of Mark Twain." My Henry Lawson research leads me to believe that Lawson must have met Twain in Sydney in October, 1895. However, I have not been able to prove this. Certainly, McNamara's bookshop was opposite the Protestant Hall where Twain delivered his Sydney lectures. And Lawson met his future wife there in late 1895. Bertha Bredt also confirmed that they both shared a love of Twain. After their marriage in early 1896, Henry and Bertha headed for the 'wild west' of Australia looking for gold - and roughing it!
Can you help with any information on the Twain link to Lawson. I am aware that Archibald of "The Bulletin" took Mark Twain fishing to Manly. They fished off the rocks and Archibald arranged for someone below to hook a large snapper to Twain's line!! Maybe it was Lawson?
A woman living in the Australian town of Annandale writes ...
I live in Johnston Street, Annandale and have recently been told that Mark Twain may have stayed with Henry Parkes during Twain’s tour of Australia in the 1890s. Some quick web searches during my work lunch break have been unable to confirm (or deny) this suggestion. Bill Bryson is supposed to have researched this fact and established it as truth but I am unable to find reference. Can you help me with this quest please?
If you can help, email info[insert@symbol]marktwain.com.au with the answer and we'll publish it here.
CONTEMPORARY NEWSPAPER ACCOUNTS
WANT to see what Australian newspapers wrote about Twain when he visited Australia?
In every Australian capital city Twain visited in 1895, there was a newspaper reporter waiting to faithfully record Twain's every utterance. In most places, Twain received critical acclaim for his podium performances — despite the near constant acquaintance of a famous carbuncle or two.
Below: A report of Mark Twain's arrival in Ballarat, as described in the Ballarat Courier on 21 October 1895 (p. 2).
RARE BOOK INSPIRES INSIGHTFUL TWAIN PERFORMANCE
In February 2008, actor Geoff Stewart-McLean performed his one-man show "Mark Twain Down Under" in the Brisbane suburb of Strathpine.
Written by Stephen Measday, the show is a snapshot of Twain's "whistle stop" tour to Australia in 1895.
More information available here.
Download a short trailer of Geoff Stewart-McLean talking about "Mark Twain Down Under" (2.1 MB Quicktime movie file).
To book Geoff Stewart-McLean, contact him via this website: info@[remove]marktwain.com.au
To contact the Australian Mark Twain Society, paste the following line into the address bar of your email program [and delete the bracketed text!] ... info@[remove]marktwain.com.au
