I am happy to issue a call for papers on behalf of the Mark Twain Circle for
the
1997 SAMLA Convention at the Peachtree Plaza in Atlanta, November 13-15,
1997.
The topic of the session is "Mark Twain at the End of the Century."  We are
soliciting biographical or critical papers concerning Mark Twain and his
works
at the end of either the 19th or 20th centuries.  Please send either a
proposal
or a completed 10 pp. (20 minute) paper to me by May 1, 1997:

John Bird
Department of English
Bancroft 230
Winthrop University
Rock Hill, SC  29733
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The Mark Twain Circle sessions at SAMLA have been stimulating and popular;
this
year, even during the conference's first session, we overflowed our meeting
room
, listening to excellent papers by Michael Kiskis, Vic Doyno, David Sloane,
and
Joe Alvarez.  We also met informally with other Twainians for much food,
drink,
and conversation, and we will surely do the same in Atlanta.  As chair this
year
, I'd love to assemble as fine a session as Jim Leonard did in Savannah.