Mark Twain in California Gold Rush
Mark Twain (1835-1910) was the pen name for Samuel Langhorne Clemens, an American writer, humorist, and political critic who is best known today for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Many consider him to be the greatest writer in American history.
Twain missed the height of the California Gold Rush, but traveled west in 1863 and immersed himself in Gold Rush culture. Strong Gold Rush influences can be found in many of his works.