A review by kevin_shepherd
Mark Twain's Own Autobiography: The Chapters from the North American Review by Mark Twain

4.0

“…by heredity and habit ours was a religious household, and it was a common thing with us whenever anybody did a handsome thing, to give the credit of it to Providence without examining into the matter. This may be called automatic religion—in fact that is what it is; it is so used to its work that it can do it without your help or even your privity; out of all the facts and statistics that may be placed before it, it will always get the one result… It is thus the unreflecting cause of much injustice.” (pg 246)

Rather than a chronological and coherent life history, Mark Twain’s Own Autobiography is a somewhat jumbled mess. It is unquestionably an enjoyable book, but one has to be willing to accompany Twain on his frequent tangents of reminiscence.

Personally, my favorite bits were written about (and by) Susy Clemens, Twain’s precocious and gifted eldest daughter. Olivia Susan Clemens (1872 - 1896) was the apple of her father’s eye and it shows. Twain writes exuberantly about her life and his recollection of her passing is almost too painful to read. Four stars.

“…mamma loves morals and papa loves cats." -Susy Clemons