There are two parts to this message.

First, I'm sorry to report that the listserv that hosts the Mark Twain
Forum (at York U) went down a couple of days ago.  It now seems to have
been resuscitated, but it also looks as if messages that were sent to
TWAIN-L during the down-period went into the e-mail void.  If you posted
a message on either Tuesday or Wednesday, but never received
acknowledgment from listserv, you may want to re-post your message.  I
apologize for the inconvenience.

Second, the following is an advertisement for Mark Twain audiotapes,
from Audio Editions (1133 High St., P.O. Box 6930, Auburn, CA 95604;
toll-free number given below).  MT Forum policy allows publishers to
post one advertisement per product, provided that the usual trade
discount is offered to Forum subscribers.  I posted this message the
other day, but it seems not to have appeared; I apologize if you've
already seen it.

The products offered below were reviewed here by Wesley Britton on
7 February 1996, and his review is excerpted below.  If you'd like to
read the complete review, just retrieve the February 1996 notebook by
sending the following command to [log in to unmask] (please, not to
TWAIN-L):

GET TWAIN-L LOG9602

To find out about other commands, including how to sign off this list,
send the following command to listserv:

GET TWAIN-L WELCOME

Please address any technical queries directly to me, rather than to
TWAIN-L.

Taylor Roberts <[log in to unmask]>

----------------------------------------------------------------------

                  MARK TWAIN: WILD HUMORIST OF THE WEST
                  Created and Performed by McAvoy Layne

Besides being one of America's greatest novelists, Mark Twain was also a
fascinating, diverse character in his own right. So familiar are most
people with his works and humor that the man himself--the roving
printer, the volunteer in the Confederate army, the riverboat pilot--can
be too easily overlooked.

MARK TWAIN: WILD HUMORIST OF THE WEST offers an opportunity to
experience not only the rich humor of Twain's sage wisdom, but also the
man behind the words, both in his younger days and as an adult caught in
the struggle between boyhood and social order, Western humor and Eastern
proprieties.

Drawing on Twain's private letters, essays, speeches and
autobiographies, this unique performance by veteran actor McAvoy Layne
captures the Twain of the West, and the experiences that launched his
career and ultimately shaped his work. McAvoy Layne has performed as
Mark Twain in over 1,000 performances from California to the Discovery
channel to Leningrad University in Russia.

     "[Layne's performance] was a superb mixture of sense and
     nonsense, the driest humor, bits of fine word painting, and
     covert satire.... We can only congratulate those who heard him
     and pity those who did not."
                                                          --_Daily Union_

Priced at $16.95 for this 2-cassette performance, we offer a 20%
discount to Mark Twain Forum subscribers on orders under $30, and a 40%
discount on orders from $30-$150, calculated before the flat $5 shipping
charge. To order, call (800) 231-4261 and ask for Keri Walker (Special
Sales).


                      THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER
                              By Mark Twain
                         Read by Patrick Fraley

Hear the definitive performance of this complete, quintessential
American classic portrayed by one of Hollywood's foremost character
actors. Crafting three dozen unique voices into this timeless adventure,
this presentation of THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER celebrates courage,
fairness and optimism while unmasking adult hypocrisy and
pretentiousness.  Revisit this remarkable "American dream of ideal
childhood written with unmitigated joy" (_Magill's Survey of American
Literature_), which was so good that Disney Productions chose it for the
radio promotions of their recent TOM & HUCK movie.

     "[Fraley's] acting is excellent, energetic, and
     enthusiastic.... (Even) readers already well familiar with the
     book will find this set enjoyable and entertaining,
     and will certainly want to pass it along to young readers...."
                                                     --_Mark Twain Forum_

$22.95 Retail, 5-cassettes. 20-40% discount. $5 shipping charge.


                           MARK TWAIN TONIGHT!
                        Performed by Hal Holbrook

We are proud to offer our number one selling title to you--this
outstanding Hal Holbrook production brought alive through spoken audio.
Holbrook researched Twain's voice, movements and life for twelve years,
even studying a rare Thomas Edison film and interviewing people who had
known Twain personally.

In this extraordinary theatrical achievement, Holbrook communicates Mark
twain's actual presence--the great humorist's voice, his timing, his
very thinking--for the listening audience.

Is it any wonder that Holbrook as Twain has a remarkable appeal for all
ages, recreating the incisive mind and scalding tongue of this legendary
humorist and writer?

     "Uproariously funny, pungently wise."  --_Time Magazine_

     "Rich, robust, and mightily entertaining."  --_NY Herald Tribune_

     "No other performer brings Mark Twain alive like Hal
     Holbrook....You are in the presence of Mark Twain from beginning to
     end....Not for one moment does the listener realize an actor is on
     stage." --_Mark Twain Forum_

$16.95 Retail, 2-cassettes. 20-40% discount. $5 shipping charge.