it looks great, Steve -- you are now officially among the elite
stratosphere of the Twainiacs with this new accomplishment, so
congratulations.  You have really been a productive writer, and we all
appreciate your many contributions.   I look forward to reading the book.

One thing I was just looking at the other day were the lamentations in the
letters after about 1900-- some with Twichell, where he longs to return to
the house but cannot even bring himself to look at it.  Having had many
conflicting feelings about the "old haunts" myself -- it made me wonder if
MT ever did actually cross the threshold of the old house after his return
to America in 1900; or wander the old rooms??  Does anyone know -- or, did
he just not have the fortitude to see it again?  I can't recall .....

--Hal B.



On Tue, Dec 13, 2011 at 12:56 PM, Mark Dawidziak <[log in to unmask]>wrote:

>     Looking forward to this. The job certainly feel to the right
> Twainiac -- our man on the ground and in the house. Congratulations, Steve!
>
> On 12/13/2011 12:42 PM, K. Patrick Ober wrote:
> > I agree!
> >
> > I had the good fortune of revisiting the house in October, for the first
> ti=
> > me in many years. I read the first half of the book on the way there,
> and t=
> > he second half on the way back. The text is delightful, and Kevin is
> right.=
> >   No matter what you think you know about Mark Twain and his family and
> his =
> > house, you will learn new things. The pictures are remarkable. Unlike
> Kevin=
> > , I didn't contribute anything at all, except words of gratitude to
> Steve C=
> > ourtney for writing this!
> >
> > Pat Ober
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Mark Twain Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Kevin Mac
> Don=
> > nell
> > Sent: Tuesday, December 13, 2011 12:17 PM
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: New book on the Hartford house
> >
> > FYI, I am writing a review of Steve Courtney's book for the Forum, which
> I=
> > =20
> > hope to have ready before Christmas. But a brief preview might be=20
> > appropriate--
> >
> > The book's engaging narrative is nicely framed around an account
> `Mother'=20
> > Fairbanks wrote of a tour she was given of the house in 1874 by the=20
> > architect, Edward Tuckerman Potter. The illustrations are copious and=20
> > stunning, with interior views taken during Twain's lifetime comingled
> with=
> > =20
> > magnificent color images that show the house in its full glory today.
> There=
> > =20
> > is also a good account of the sometimes hair-raising history of the
> house=20
> > after it was sold by Twain. If you've taken a tour of this home this
> book=20
> > will make you want to go back and see it again. If you've never seen
> the=20
> > house in person and never have the chance to see it, this book is the=20
> > next-best thing. For Twain scholars, no matter what you think you know
> abou=
> > t=20
> > the Hartford home, you will learn something you didn't know by reading
> this=
> > =20
> > book. And unlike most books about historic structures this book is=20
> > well-indexed and solidly sourced. It conveys the "heart and soul" that
> Twai=
> > n=20
> > spoke of when describing his beloved home.
> >
> > Full disclosure: p. 75 has a previously unpublished 1875 photo of Susy
> and=
> > =20
> > Clara sitting on the ground outside the home with their German
> nursemaid,=20
> > courtesy of yours truly, but the book is 144 pages long so there are
> 143=20
> > other reasons to get a copy.
> >
> > This book won't fit in a stocking (or on a Kindle), but it would make
> a=20
> > welcome gift for any Twainian.
> >
> > 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 -----=20
> > From: "Steve Courtney"<[log in to unmask]>
> > To:<[log in to unmask]>
> > Sent: Tuesday, December 13, 2011 10:38 AM
> > Subject: New book on the Hartford house
> >
> >
> > Greetings!
> > =3D20
> > I'm taking my one free shot at self-promotion today to push my new
> book=3D2=
> > C =3D
> > 'The Loveliest Home That Ever Was': The Story of the Mark Twain House in
> Ha=
> > =3D
> > rtford=3D2C published by Dover. It tells the house's story and includes
> mar=
> > ve=3D
> > lous new photos by John Groo=3D2C and a Foreword by Hal Holbrook (who
> tells=
> >   m=3D
> > e he likes the book).
> > =3D20
> > Dover approached us late last year about doing this=3D2C and asked us if
> we=
> >   h=3D
> > ad a writer on staff -- somehow  they came up with me=3D2C so I spent
> the f=
> > ir=3D
> > st few months of this year putting this together -- a lot more quickly
> than=
> > =3D
> >   I've ever had to do such a thing=3D2C even in my newspaper days.
> > =3D20
> > But it seems to have come out all right. As you can imagine=3D2C it's
> selli=
> > ng=3D
> >   well here. The book=3D2C a large-format paperback with lavish color
> illust=
> > ra=3D
> > tion=3D2C is 20 bucks and available through the usual outlets=3D2C
> includin=
> > g=3D2C=3D
> >   of course=3D2C the Mark Twain Museum Bookshop here:
> http://shop.marktwainh=
> > ou=3D
> > se.org/.=3D20
> > =3D20
> > Dover's catalogue description is here:
> http://store.doverpublications.com/0=
> > =3D
> > 486486346.html
> > =3D20
> > My emails to the Forum tend to get broken up with strange equal signs
> and o=
> > =3D
> > ther impedimenta=3D2C no matter what plain-text format I send them
> in=3D2C =
> > so I=3D
> >   hope this is relatively legible!
> > =3D20
> > All best=3D2C
> > Steve
> > =3D20
> >   =3D20
> >
> >
> >
> > Steve Courtney
> > 7 Union St.
> > Terryville=3D2C CT 06786
> > 860-589-6412      =3D
> >
> >
> >
> > -----
> > No virus found in this message.
> > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> > Version: 2012.0.1873 / Virus Database: 2108/4677 - Release Date: 12/12/11
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > -----
> > No virus found in this message.
> > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> > Version: 2012.0.1873 / Virus Database: 2108/4677 - Release Date: 12/12/11
> >
>



-- 
Harold K. Bush, Ph.D
Professor of English
Saint Louis University
St. Louis, MO  63108
314-977-3616 (w); 314-771-6795 (h)
<www.slu.edu/x23809.xml>