Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1838-1910), better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. He is noted for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885), called “the Great American Novel”, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876). Twain achieved great success in his life as a writer and public speaker. However, although he made a great deal of money from his writings and lectures, he lost much of it in poor investments and was forced to declare bankruptcy. Despite this, Twain worked hard to ensure that all of his creditors were paid in full. Born during a visit by Halley’s Comet, he died on its return

Explore 20 of the most remarkable Mark Twain quotes.

Never allow someone to be your priority while allowing yourself to be their option.

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.

Don’t part with your illusions. When they are gone you may still exist, but you have ceased to live.

Never put off till tomorrow what may be done day after tomorrow just as well.

The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.

Good friends, good books, and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.

I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.

A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.

Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.

The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.

If you don’t read the newspaper, you’re uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you’re mis-informed.

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.

Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.

Sanity and happiness are an impossible combination.

Wrinkles should merely indicate where the smiles have been.

Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn’t.

Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear – not absence of fear.

I’ve lived through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened.

The secret to getting ahead is getting started.

The worst loneliness is to not be comfortable with yourself