Many thanks to Barbara Snedecor, the Center for Mark Twain Studies, and
Elmira College for another incredible conference on the State of Mark Twain
Studies.  I have been to them all, since 1989, and I am sure this was the
best.  Excellent and thought-provoking papers and panels, incredible food,
Spartan life in the dorm rooms (good for the teacher's soul to live like a
student again, even if for a few days), late night fun playing music, and
then the capper:  our ritual cigar smoking and spiritual singing at the
original site of the study at Quarry Farm, this time joined by none other
than Hal Holbrook, who smoked a cigar with us and told us stories about
Clara.  Well done!  And I'm ready for 2013...

John Bird