I met Larry Berkove for the first time in January 1989, when we were both doing research at the Mark Twain Project in Berkeley. Beginning with our first conversation, he took an active and intensive interest in my work. Larry accompanied my academic career from the beginnings of my Ph.D. dissertation to the day of my installment as a full professor of American Literature and Culture at Magdeburg (Germany) university and even after that he never stopped sharing the most helpful insights and giving me support in all matters concerning life in academia.

The seriousness and genuineness of his interest was such that, during his work with microfilm newspapers, he would keep his eyes open for original material that might be relevant to my research. One particular afternoon during our first encounter produced an impressive example of the enthusiasm which was so typical of him and which was so wonderfully contagious: Returning from his microfilm-reading session in the library, he stormed into the MTP reading room, waving his arms in excitement and shouting: "Your search is over, your search is over! There are endless articles on your stuff in the [San Francisco] Call!"

Our initial meeting led to an intensive correspondence in which he shared with me his latest findings on Dan De Quille, the Comstockers, Bierce, London, Kate Chopin, and the many other people and topics he worked on. Soon, the scholarly camaraderie became friendship. Several times he and Gail invited me to stay at their house in Southfield so that I could do research at the Detroit Public Library and explore John King's marvelous used-book store. In the years that followed, we spent vacation time together in upper Michigan and the Adirondacks. In the process, I learned many important things about American literature and American culture in all possible ways, including proverbs, jokes, and puns. I'm sure that most people who have met Larry have experienced, in his presence, the feeling of intellectual inquisitiveness, good cheer, and the power of his contagious laugh. Through him, I also learned that beer makes you more intelligent. He knew for sure . . . because it made Bud wiser. – Just the kind of thing that would crack him up.

In 1993, Larry encouraged me to attend the Mark Twain Symposium in Elmira where he introduced me to many of the Twain scholars who I knew as the authors of the books that I had read during my studies. Because of him, I was warmly welcomed into that circle of Twain aficionados that has given me the most valuable academic experience of my life. I owe many debts of gratitude to Larry, this is the biggest of all.

I will miss Larry very much – a truly lovable, kind, and generous person with a sharp mind and a big heart.

Larry Berkove – Scholar, Teacher, Friend. I will hold his memory dear.

Holger
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Holger Kersten
Professor of American Literature and Culture
English Department
Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg | Germany