Hello, I have been enjoying the TwainL list for some time, and now that I notice a lull... In _Made in America_ Bill Bryson cites MT as the first person to write a book on a 'typemachine'. He also states that Twain was confused in his autobiography as to which book. Twain says _The Adventures of Tom Sawyer_, Bryson says _Life on the Mississipi_. Who is right? Somewhere in _Mother Tongue_ Bryson says that MT was an advocate of simplified spelling(I can,t find the book but it is in there).Again is this true? Whilst on the aside of Bill Bryson: Auto-Beatnik Poem No.41 All children are small and crusty And all pale, blind, humble waters are cleaning, A insect, dumb and torrid,comes of the daddyo How is a insect into this fur? Written by a computer in Glendale. A search of glendale, auto-beatnik helped not a jot. Some mention of Life,3 March 1961,pp 109-17 Hope 'you' (we need a plural you in english sometimes) dont mind my clogging your mailboxes, Regards Kurt Lawlor