I would like to recommend that everybody get software capable of sending
text messages that do NOT contain "=," "/," "@," and other assorted symbols
in the places where letters or spaces should be.  My regular correspondents
from Niger, besides having made millions of dollars available to me over the
years for next to nothing, are ALL capable of sending clean text messages,
although the spelling and grammar are not always up to yours.  I'd much
rather read the messages posted to this forum, but I find myself reverting
to the Nigerian correspondence to ease the eyestrain.

Just a suggestion.

Michel L. Stone
STONE & SUTTON, P.A.
116 East 4th Street
Panama City, Florida 32401
(850) 785-7272  Office
(850) 785-7094  Fax
[log in to unmask]

-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Twain Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Cosgrove,
William
Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2012 9:23 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Twain feud inspires blog

Mark Twain Forum,

I've noticed a lot of ads and sales pitches on the Forum lately that didn't=
seem to be there before.  People seem to be pitching products of their own=
through the Forum that use Twain materials in various ways.  I could be wr=
ong.  These self-promotional materials are marketed to "Twainians" and "Twa=
iniacs" via the Forum utilizing the "Twainmania" we all are apparently cons=
umed by.  I may be mistaken.
Perhaps I'm unfairly comparing some of today's Forum submissions with those=
of some years ago when academic and scholarly experts in Twain studies, as=
well as book collectors, literary critics, book reviewers, historians, afi=
cionados  contributed ideas, reviews, articles, opinions about Twain and hi=
s writings to the Forum.  That must be it.  Twain as an interesting and com=
plex person and American writer and humorist was thoughtfully considered an=
d discussed on the Forum I'm remembering.  Perhaps I'm misremembering.
Maybe not, though.  Deep into my inbox I ran into a bunch of old 2001 email=
s from the Forum that I had saved because they had interesting and compelli=
ng things to say about Twain.  In the middle of these was an email dated 8/=
8/01 which, in hindsight, may express one of the new directions the Forum w=
as about to take =97 from "academically stimulating" to "regardless of thei=
r knowledge level about Twain."
Here's the excerpt:

"I would like to recommend a new topic for all of the Mark Twain Forum memb=
ers to engage in.  Wouldn't it be interesting for all of us to find out oth=
ers' favourite Twain work and reasons why?  Although I agree that it is aca=
demically stimulating to continue the diatribe about Mark Twain's biography=
, the topic is becoming tired to me.  If others agree to find a new topic t=
o involve all the members, perhaps they will consider this one as a way to =
involve all the subscribers, regardless of their knowledge level about Twai=
n."

When a "topic," even Mark Twain's biography, it seems, becomes "tired to me=
," the Forum is perhaps well advised to cease its "academically stimulating=
" diatribes in favor of finding out "others' favourite Twain work."  Maybe =
that is the wisest course.  Perhaps such change is good and inevitable.  I =
could be wrong.

Best regards,

Bill Cosgrove
Professor Emeritus of English
North Dakota State University
6104 Tracy Ave. So.
Edina, MN 55436
952-929-1393
[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>




On 7/23/12 12:06 PM, "[log in to unmask]<mailto:richard@richardhenze=
l.com>" <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote:

Hello all,

Haven't posted anything here for a while; been producing my Mark Twain show
a couple of times a month here in Chicago, and adding new material all the
time. I was very fortunate to have Bernie Sahlins produce a "Mark Twain In
Person" for The Driehaus Museum here. Bernie is well into his eighties--he
founded the Second City Theatre; we've worked on many projects together
since 1979, but this was the first time he'd produced my Mark Twain show.
The Driehaus is set to produce "Mark Twain's Christmas" in December (it says
here); please let me know if you'd like comps/discounts to any of my shows
that play in your area. It's the least I can do to repay the pages and pages
of interesting and useful information and literature relating to our mutual
Twainmania.

Also, I've also published another Mark Twain audio book: Roughing It.
It came in at 19 hours and 10 minutes, and I'm selling it as a download for
$25 on my own "Mark Twain In Person" website.

I am aware that this book has already been recorded several times, but I've
decided to not let that interfere with my enjoyment of it--nor any of the
other books that I've "covered"--it's always been the work itself that has
been the greatest reward--savoring his words, inhabiting the character,and
reliving his amazing and varied adventures.

Anyone wishing for a "pre-publication" mp3 download of Roughing It, please
email me directly and I'll send you a free copy. This offer will expire July
31 at midnight.

Also, I've begun recording Chapters from my Autobiography. I am posting the
chapters on SoundCloud as they are finished, but I will begin removing the
opening chapters once I reach Chapter 10, Hopefully some will want to buy
the whole book to share with a fellow Twainiac.

Richard Henzel