I don't believe there's any significant dissent regarding Paine's "distortion" of Twain's life and career, largely through omission. Paine and Clara controlled the Twain estate, and to a certain extent, his image, at least through the 1930s, doing their best to reinforce the Reader's Digest image of Twain as a one-sided avuncular, curmudgeonly witticism-generator and writer of the idylls of a Tom-and-Beckyland childhood. Paine's 4-volume 1912 biography is certainly an adequate starting point only, but for decent, accurate and well- balanced background on the enigma known to us as Twain/Clemens, you have to read people like Dixon Wecter, Justin Kaplan, Hamlin Hill, Edgar Branch, and the many other scholars who approached Twain/Clemens from a true biographic, rather than hagiographic perspective. Also, what Bob Slotta said in his message, ditto... Martin Zehr Kansas City, Missouri