I'm a latecomer on this thread, but when it comes to praise for the
Elmira conference, my I'm of the opinion that "too much is not
enough" (to borrow what someone--possibly but probably not Twain--said
about "good whisky.")

Hats off to Barb Snedecor and Kathy Solometo and their colleagues for
overseeing all those pesky details required to get things to run as
smoothly as they did--and doing so with such grace and skill (as well
as for the stunning program).

Kudos to Michael Kiskis and Bruce Michelson for having constructed
such a stimulating program whose only flaw was requiring us to choose
among too many good things at the same time.

And bravo to all the scholars who presented research that was so
fresh, interesting, & thought-provoking --  especially to the scholars
who travelled from Germany, Japan, Australia and other far-away places
to join us.

How incredibly special it was to be in the room when Mark Dawidziak
paid tribute to Hal Holbrook  for all he has done for Twain, and Hal
responded with gratitude for all that Twain scholars have done for
HIM. The unbroken circle in the moonlight listening to Hal recalling
his interactions with Clara and Nina on the site where Twain's study
once stood was tremendously moving -- unforgettable.

This was a conference I will always remember. What a great way to
launch the Twain Centennial!

Shelley