I'm happy to see the Mark Twain Project receiving notices as widely as
possible.  I also applaud the Forum for its efforts to generate support
in the variety of ways that it has.

I would, though, like to remind all Forum members that in addition to
direct donations and purchases of books and paraphrenalia, those of us who
teach have another avenue of helping the Mark Twain Project:  adopting the
Mark Twain Library editions in our courses (available from University of
California Press).

These texts are derived from the authoritative scholarly editions, though
they appropriately omit the scholarly apparatus.  They contain all of
the original illustrations, include explanatory notes, are printed on good
quality paper, and are bound in cloth or paper.  Surprisingly, they are
very affordable.  In short, these volumes are high quality at a modest
price.  And perhaps the best reason to adopt them in your courses is that
that they generate money that subsidizes the work of the Mark Twain
Project.

Many of you may already be aware of this series and regularly adopt them
in your courses.  But I've been surprised at the number of university and
college teachers I've met who don't even know about them, or who do but
adopt Signet or Norton editions because they assume that the Mark Twain
Library editions are too expensive.  They don't cost significantly more,
and in terms of value they are a much wiser expenditure.

Since the Mark Twain Library series gives us the opportunity to to put
better texts in our students hands and to support the Mark Twain Project
simultaneously, why would we adopt any other text?

Either paper or clothbound, they make great gifts, too.

Larry Howe

For the record, I am not an employee of UC Press, though perhaps I should
be.  I don't think they've promoted this series as much as I've just done
in this short posting.