Thanks. From the questions you posed, I think you will enjoy reading it.
I've had some offline questions, and I don't have time to answer them all,
so let me briefly outline the article--
The first section deals with the debunked accounts for his nom de plume.
The second section reviews his other nom de plumes before THE nom de plume.
Sections 3 and 4 describe how I found the Vanity Fair piece a few years ago
by accident, and then discovered last year that news of my discovery had
been leaked.
Section 5 gives background on VF and its writers.
Section 6 describes the VF piece and explains the insult behind each of the
comic names given to the characters, including "Mr. Mark Twain" You can
view an image of theVF piece by clicking the image of Mark Twain at the
Kansas City Star website.
Section 7 explains why it does not matter whether Twain read this VF piece
in 1861 when he had no intentions of becoming an author
Section 8 explains how files of VF found their way to newspapers offices all
over CA and NV.
Section 9 explains why and how Twain would have seen those VF files in
Carson City and why he wanted a nom de plume
Section 10 is Twain the Phunny Phellow and his early efforts to spread his
brand, and how it got spread for him in various ways by others.
Section 11 is Twain the Phormer Phunny Phellow and how he deliberately
distanced himself from that school of humor
Section 12 is Twain Under His Own Sail and using the data from sections
10-11 makes clear why he made up the Sellers story to cover his real source.
Hope this answers some questions.
Kevin
@
Mac Donnell Rare Books
9307 Glenlake Drive
Austin TX 78730
512-345-4139
Member: ABAA, ILAB
*************************
You may browse our books at
www.macdonnellrarebooks.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dustin Zima" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, August 16, 2013 4:16 PM
Subject: Re: Link to article in Kansas City Star
> Bought and purchased. Cannot wait to read! =20
>
> On Aug 16, 2013, at 4:00 PM, Kevin Mac Donnell
> <[log in to unmask]
>> wrote:
>
>> The writer of the Vanity Fair burlesque did not get the term "mark
>> twain"=20=
>
>> from steamboat or riverboat usage. He got it from usage (along with
>> other=20=
>
>> nautical terms not used on the rivers) from ocean-going vessels where it
>> h=
> as=20
>> a very different meaning than when used on a river, and I explain that=20
>> meaning in my article, and why Twain particularly did not want his nom
>> de=20=
>
>> plume to be associated with that other usage.
>>=20
>> As authors, often say: "buy the book" although in this case all you have
>> t=
> o=20
>> do is buy the MTJ.
>>=20
>> Kevin
>> @
>> Mac Donnell Rare Books
>> 9307 Glenlake Drive
>> Austin TX 78730
>> 512-345-4139
>> Member: ABAA, ILAB
>> *************************
>> You may browse our books at
>> www.macdonnellrarebooks.com
>>=20
>> ----- Original Message -----=20
>> From: "Ben Wise" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Friday, August 16, 2013 3:10 PM
>> Subject: Re: Link to article in Kansas City Star
>>=20
>>=20
>>> Yes. I'm no MT scholar, to say the least, but the essence of Dustin's=20
>>> points have seemed likely to me since Kevin's discovery was first
>>> posted=20=
>
>>> here: First, that it's almost certain, is it not, that the author of
>>> the=20=
>
>>> Vanity Fair article derived the name from the same nautical reference
>>> tha=
> t=20
>>> Clemens has been reputed to have done? And second for that reason,
>>> its=20=
>
>>> appearance in an article he read could have been an echo of something
>>> he'=
> d=20
>>> thought of before or since for his own reasons. In other words, I'd
>>> submi=
> t=20
>>> that reports that he'd plagiarized his pen name are greatly
>>> exaggerated.=20=
>
>>> But then, what do I know?
>>>=20
>>> Ben
>>>=20
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Dustin Zima" <[log in to unmask]>
>>> To: [log in to unmask]
>>> Sent: Friday, August 16, 2013 2:56:12 PM
>>> Subject: Re: Link to article in Kansas City Star
>>>=20
>>> I have a quick question for the forum regarding Kevin's incredible=20
>>> discover=3D
>>> y.? Let me set it up first:? Sam began as a cub pilot in 1857; he
>>> receive=
> d=20
>>> =3D
>>> his pilot's license in 1859.? The article that Kevin found is from
>>> 1861.?=
> =20
>>> H=3D
>>> e adopts the moniker in 1863, which very well could have been as a
>>> result=
> =20
>>> o=3D
>>> f the Vanity Fair article.? However, how does this conclusively rule
>>> out=20=
>
>>> th=3D
>>> e previous assumptions/educated guesses as to the nom de plum ??=20
>>> Furthermor=3D
>>> e, this leads me to at least question--most respectfully--Kevin's=20
>>> conclusio=3D
>>> n that the use of "Mark Twain" in the Vanity Fair article, combined
>>> with=20=
>
>>> th=3D
>>> e assertion that it was a publication that Sam had read or been aware
>>> of,=
> =20
>>> "=3D
>>> provides simple, logical answers to dangling questions, is contradicted
>>> b=
> y=20
>>> =3D
>>> no known facts," and that "everything fits like a glove."? Would Sam
>>> not=20=
>
>>> ha=3D
>>> ve already been aware of the term's adaptability into a believable=20
>>> pen-name=3D
>>> ?? Perhaps not since he did not christen himself "Mark Twain" until=20
>>> 1863--t=3D
>>> wo years after the Vanity Fair article.? However he was interested in=20
>>> writi=3D
>>> ng before becoming a cub pilot, and the years during his piloting
>>> days=20=
>
>>> were=3D
>>> profoundly influential to Sam as a writer/thinker/observer--see Life
>>> on=20=
>
>>> th=3D
>>> e Mississippi.? Would Sam not have been led more by his cherished days
>>> of=
> =20
>>> p=3D
>>> iloting, specifically the language from those days? ? ? ?=3D20
>>> =3D20
>>>=20
>>> =3D20
>>>=20
>>>=20
>>>=20
>>> -----Original Message-----=20
>>> From: Kevin Mac Donnell <[log in to unmask]>
>>> To: TWAIN-L <[log in to unmask]>
>>> Sent: Fri, Aug 16, 2013 12:37 pm
>>> Subject: Link to article in Kansas City Star
>>>=20
>>> =3D20
>>> =3D20
>>> =3D20
>>> Martin Zehr did a fine write-up about my piece for which I want to
>>> thank=20=
>
>>> hi=3D
>>> =3D3D=3D20
>>> m in this very public forum among colleagues.=3D20
>>> =3D20
>>> I hope those whose previous research on Mark Twain are cited in my
>>> articl=
> e=20
>>> =3D
>>> =3D3D=3D20
>>> will accept those citations as my way of saying thanks to them for
>>> their=20=
>
>>> in=3D
>>> =3D3D=3D20
>>> sights and hard work that suggested avenues of research and provided=20
>>> numero=3D
>>> =3D3D=3D20
>>> us clues that led me to my conclusions --whether or not you even
>>> agree=20=
>
>>> with=3D
>>> =3D3D=3D20
>>> my conclusions.=3D20
>>> =3D20
>>> I also hope that those who are not already subscribers to the Mark
>>> Twain=20=
>
>>> Jo=3D
>>> =3D3D=3D20
>>> urnal will remedy that grievous oversight. The MTJ deserves the support
>>> o=
> f=20
>>> =3D
>>> =3D3D=3D20
>>> all Twainians.=3D20
>>> =3D20
>>> Here's the link to Martin Zehr's piece in the Kansas City Star: =3D20
>>> =3D20
>>> http://www.kansascity.com/2013/08/16/4413137/a-new-theory-seems-the-best-=
> e=3D
>>> =3D3D=3D20
>>> xplanation.html =3D20
>>> =3D20
>>> If the crush of fame becomes overwhelming, you will find me hiding,
>>> many=20=
>
>>> da=3D
>>> =3D3D=3D20
>>> ys out, under a nom de plume that's Twainian, yet reflects my Irish=20
>>> heritag=3D
>>> =3D3D=3D20
>>> e-- Begum O'Bengal. =3D20
>>> =3D20
>>> Kevin=3D20
>>> @=3D20
>>> Mac Donnell Rare Books=3D20
>>> 9307 Glenlake Drive=3D20
>>> Austin TX 78730=3D20
>>> 512-345-4139=3D20
>>> Member: ABAA, ILAB=3D20
>>> *************************=3D20
>>> You may browse our books at =3D20
>>> www.macdonnellrarebooks.com=3D20
>>> =3D20
>>> =3D20
>>> =3D20
>>> -----=3D20
>>> No virus found in this message.=3D20
>>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com=3D20
>>> Version: 2013.0.3392 / Virus Database: 3211/6582 - Release Date:
>>> 08/16/13=
> =3D
>>> =3D20
>>> =3D20
>>>=20
>>> =3D20
>>>=20
>>>=20
>>>=20
>>> -----
>>> No virus found in this message.
>>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>>> Version: 2013.0.3392 / Virus Database: 3211/6582 - Release Date:
>>> 08/16/13=
>
>>=20
>>=20
>>=20
>> -----
>> No virus found in this message.
>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>> Version: 2013.0.3392 / Virus Database: 3211/6582 - Release Date: 08/16/13
>
>
>
> -----
> No virus found in this message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 2013.0.3392 / Virus Database: 3211/6582 - Release Date: 08/16/13
>
-----
No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 2013.0.3392 / Virus Database: 3211/6582 - Release Date: 08/16/13
|
