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