I have extracted the following from the conference brochure from the Mark Twain House and wanted to share it with all Mark Twain Forum members. For further information, contact the Mark Twain House at the number listed at the end of this message. Hope to see many of you there. ---Kevin B. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MARK TWAIN: A LEGACY IN WRITING 1997 Spring Twain Symposium Saturday, March 8, 1997 at The Mark Twain House 351 Farmington Avenue Hartford, Connecticut 06105 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Mark Twain House's symposium, "Mark Twain: A Legacy in Writing," will provide fresh observations about Twain's writing style, the influences on his work, and the message behind his words by a distinguished group of contemporary writers and Twain scholars. Roundtable discussions will address the author's major works such as _The Adventures of Tom Sawyer_ and _A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court_ as well as equally important yet lesser known writings such as _Is Shakespeare Dead?_ and _How To Tell a Story._ This year's symposium honors the publication of The Oxford Mark Twain by Oxford University Press in the fall of 1996. A collection of facsimile first edition works by Twain, each of the 29 volumes includes a foreword and afterword by notable figures. "Mark Twain: A Legacy In Writing" brings together many of these individuals who worked on the project to examine both the appeal and the challenge of Mark Twain's works. The conference will be held at the Aetna Life & Casualty Home Office Auditorium at 151 Farmington Avenue, Hartford, Connecticut, just 4 blocks east of The Mark Twain House. Connecticut teachers can receive .6 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for attending this conference (see registration form). The Mark Twain House is a Connecticut State Department of Education-approved CEU provider (provider #677). Registrants showing their symposium admission ticket will receive a 10% discount in The Mark Twain House Museum Shop during the weekend of the symposium. The Oxford Mark Twain is available at the Museum Shop. The Mark Twain House is the author's Hartford home, his primary residence from 1874 to 1891. A National Register Historic Landmark since 1963, the house was commissioned by Mark Twain (Samuel Langhorne Clemens), designed by Edward Tuckerman Potter, and decorated in 1881 by Louis Comfort Tiffany and Associated Artists. The Mark Twain House is open year-round, Monday and Wednesday through Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The museum is open seven days a week from Memorial Day through October 15 and in December. The last tour leaves at 4 p.m. daily. For tour information, please call (860) 493-6411; for program information call (860) 247-0998. Mark Twain: A Legacy in Writing; Speakers: *** Russell Banks Author Russell Banks is the critically acclaimed author of _Continental Drift_ (1985) and most recently _Rule of the Bone_ (1995). He also teaches Creative Writing at Princeton University. Russell Banks wrote the Preface to Volume VII, _A Tramp Abroad._ *** Roy Blount, Jr. Writer Roy Blount is a noted humorist whose books include _Camels Are Easy Comedy's Hard_ (1991) and _Roy Blount's Book of Southern Humor_ (1994). He is a contributing editor of THE ATLANTIC and MEN'S JOURNAL. Mr. Blount wrote the Preface for Volume I, _The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County and Other Sketches._ *** David Bradley Author The author of two novels, _South Street_ (1975) and _The Chaneysville Incident_ (1981), which was awarded the 1982 PEN/Faulkner Prize, David Bradley is currently completing a non- fiction book, _The Bondage Hypothesis: Meditations on Race, History and America._ He wrote the Preface for Volume XIX, _How To Tell a Story._ *** Louis J. Budd Writer/Professor of English, Duke University Dr. Budd is the nation's pre-eminent Twain scholar. He has published _Mark Twain: Social Philosopher_ (1962) and _Mark Twain Collected Tales, Sketches, Speeches and Essays_ (in two volumes). Dr. Budd wrote the Afterword for Volume Xl, _A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court._ *** E.L. Doctorow Author _The Book of Daniel_ (1970) started E. L. Doctorow's penchant for interweaving the facts of history with fiction. He utilized this style in _Ragtime_ (1975) as well as the 1990 National Book Critics Circle award winner, _Billy Bathgate_. He also teaches Creative Writing in the English Department of New York University. E.L. Doctorow wrote the Preface for Volume VI, _The Adventures of Tom Sawyer_. *** Victor Doyno Professor of English, State University of New York - Buffalo Victor Doyno is a scholar of Twain's _Adventures of Huckleberry Finn._ He has published the newest edition of this work (complete with chapters missing until 1995) as well as _Writing Huck Finn_ (1991). Dr. Doyno wrote the Afterword for Volume X, _Adventures of Huckleberry Finn._ *** Shelley Fisher Fishkin Writer/Professor of American Studies, University of Texas Dr. Fisher Fishkin broke new ground in Twain studies with her _Was Huck Black? Mark Twain and African-American Voices._ Her most recent book is _Lighting Out For The Territory_ (1996). Dr. Fisher Fishkin is the editor of _The Oxford Mark Twain._ *** Susan Harris Professor of English, Pennsylvania State University Susan Harris has written many articles pertaining to the role of women as both characters and influences on literature. Her most recent publication, _The Courtship of Olivia Langdon and Mark Twain_ (1996), focuses on the early years of the marriage of Olivia and Samuel Clemens. Dr. Harris wrote the Afterword for Volume XVII, _The Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc._ *** Judith Martin Social Columnist/Author "Born a perfect lady in an imperfect society," Judith Martin has been writing her Miss Manners column since 1978, for nationwide distribution. She has written several books on etiquette including _Miss Manners' Guide for the Turn-of-the-Millennium_(1989) and two novels, _Style and Substance_ (1986) and _Giblet: A Comedy of Manners_ (1982). Ms. Martin wrote the Preface for Volume VIII, _The Prince and the Pauper._ *** Bobbie Ann Mason Author Starting with her best-selling _In Country_, Bobbie Ann Mason exhibits a passion for the people and places in her native Kentucky. She earns more fans with every new work including _Spence + Lila_ (1988) and, most recently, _Feather Crowns_ (1993). Ms. Mason wrote the Preface for Volume XII, _The American Claimant._ *** James Miller Professor of English and American Studies, Trinity College Dr. Miller's publications include "African-American Cultural Politics of the 1930s." He also served as editor for _Approaches to Teaching Wright's Native Son_. Dr. Miller wrote the Afterword for Volume XXVIII, _Extracts from Captain Stormfield's Visit to Heaven._ *** Willie Morris Author A former editor at _Harper's Magazine_, Mr. Morris interweaves his own life in the American South into his writings such as _Good Old Boy_ and _Yazoo_. Mr. Morris wrote the Preface to Volume XX, _Life on the Mississippi_. *** Cynthia Ozick Writer Cynthia Ozick explores the conflict between sacred and profane while mixing fantasy, comedy, satire, and Judaic law and history in such works as _The Pagan Rabbi and Other Stories_ and _Levitation: Five Fictions._ Her most recent work is _Fame & Folly_, published in 1996. Ms. Ozick wrote the Preface for Volume XXII, _The Man Who Corrupted Hadleyburg and Other Stories._ *** David E. E. Sloane Professor of English University of New Haven Dr. Sloane's publications include _Mark Twain's Humor: Critical Essays_ (1993) and _Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: American Comic Vision_ (1988). He is president of the American Humor Studies Association and a past president of the Mark Twain Circle. Dr. Sloane wrote the Afterword for Volume II, _The Innocents Abroad._ *** David L. Smith Professor of English, Williams College Dr. Smith specializes in American Literature of the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries, focusing on fiction, Southern authors, and African-American literature. Author of _Racial Writing, Black and White_, Dr. Smith has also addressed racial and political interpretations of the arts. Dr. Smith wrote the Afterword for Volume XVI, _The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson and The Comedy of Those Extraordinary Twins._ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Registration Mark Twain:A Legacy in Writing Saturday, March 8, 1997, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. If more than one person is registering, please attach names, addresses, phone numbers, and school/organizations on a separate sheet of paper. Name_________________________________________________________ Address:_____________________________________________________ School/Organization (if any):________________________________ Phone-Daytime:________________Evening:_______________________ Connecticut teachers check here to register for .6 CEUs. ____ You may charge your tickets by completing the following: ____ MC ___ Visa Name on card:__________________________________________________ Account #:__________________________ Expiration Date: _________ Signature (required):__________________________________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Symposium Registration Fee (includes buffet lunch and garage parking) *** General Public: $50 Number of persons: ___________ Enclosed: $______________________ *** Members of The Mark Twain House: $40 Number of persons: ___________ Enclosed: $______________________ *** Full-time students: $25 (copy of current student ID is required for college students) Number of persons: ___________ Enclosed: $______________________ *** Total Amount Enclosed: $______________________ Tickets and information packets will be sent upon receipt of registration form and payment. For more information call (860) 247-0998 or FAX (860) 278-8148. Tickets are non-refundable. Reservations for the program must be received by Monday, March 3, 1997. Send your registration to: Twain Symposium The Mark Twain House 351 Farmington Avenue Hartford, CT 06105 Become a member of The Mark Twain House. Enjoy this and future symposia at a discount while supporting programs at the restored home of one of America's best-loved authors. Mark Twain House Membership: $25 National $35 Individual $85 Supporting $150 Sustaining Clemens Circle Membership: $500 Fellow $1,000 Benefactor $2,500 Patron For information about membership, call (860) 247-0998. A reduced rate of $69 for rooms at the Hastings Hotel and Conference Center (located across the street from the conference site) is available for symposium registrants. To receive this rate, call 1-800-777-7803 and ask for the Twain Symposium rate.