I'm writing this from one of two computer stations in the History Room of the San Francisco Main Library, after another chat with City Archivist Susan Goldstein.

The question we're trying to resolve before my mock lecture on November 30 is: "Why did Clemens/Twain NEVER RETURN TO CALIFORNIA? (after 1868) and especially to this City By The Bay, where part of his heart so obviously belonged, in prior and later writings?

Send me any solid evidence and/or rumors on this topic, humorous or dead serious, via the forum or on my other e-mail address: [log in to unmask]

For folks in and near the Western Gate, the lecture will be at 7pm on Tuesday, November, in the small community room of the Bernal (pron ber-NAL) Branch of the 27 SF libraries. It will be short, 1-1/2 hours only, not the marathon all night (5pm to 9am) show and Roughing It reading I organized at the Potrero Hill branch and the Adult Services section of the Library for the Sesquicentennial. Couldn't get a librarian willing to spend all night this time, with the major budget cuts.

We'll launch a so-far undefined drive to make Twain Lane downtown, from where some of you did the Twain Walk during the Lit Conference, into a Twainiac Destination for this city and North California (+VC, Sacramento, Truckee, Tahoe and VC if they want to partake). Don't send money yet, and don't suggest we ask Pepsi, Coke, etc for a grant).

Richard R - San Francisco.