Mark Twain is known throughout the world for his novels. He is loved by many. Samuel Clemens was his real name, but he was known by the pen name Mark Twain, which is the name by which most know him. He liked to write about the society around him. His writings were influenced by his life experiences. He wrote often about the Mississippi River, on which he lived for much of his life. Twain played an important part in literature because of his many achievements. That's why he is considered one of the greatest novelists of all time. Mark Twain was born two months premature on November 30, 1839 in Florida, Missouri ("Mark Twain (American Writer)"). He was the sixth child of John Marshall and Jane Lampton Clemens ("Mark Twain (American Writer)."). Only three of his siblings survived into childhood ("Mark Twain." Wikipedia.). Clemens' family moved to Hannibal Missouri when he was four years old ("Mark Twain." Wikipedia.). In the first 10 years of his life, the Clemens family was not particularly healthy ("Mark Twain (American writer)"). When he was healthy, he spent his youth running with the local boys who lived with him around the Mississippi River ("Mark Twain: Childhood."). Growing up, Clemens wanted to be a steamboat pilot because he had seen many steamboats while living on the Mississippi River ("Mark Twain: Childhood."). Clemens was about 9 years old and attended a private school in Hannibal, Missouri ("Mark Twain (American Writer)"). John Marshall Clemens, his father, died when he was only 12 years old ("Mark Twain (American Writer)"). The following year Clemens dropped out of school and became a printer's apprentice ("Mark Twain." Wikipedia.). In 1868 Mark Twain asked Olivia Langdon to marry him, she rejected the proposal, but... halfway... the best American novelist to date. His work was like no other. He started working for a small newspaper company in Hannibal and worked his way up to become a successful man. Mark Twain will never be forgotten for his novels and his great sense of humor. Works Cited Kirk, Connie Ann. Mark Twain: A Biography. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 2004. Print "Mark Twain (American Writer)." Encyclopedia Britannica online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2014. Web. April 22, 2014. "Mark Twain." Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th edition (2013): 1. MAS Ultra - School Edition. Network. April 15, 2014. Marshall, Donald G. "Twain, Mark." Student of the world book. World Book, 2014. Web. April 22, 2014. "Mark Twain: Childhood." Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., November 11 q 2008. Web. April 25, 2014. "Mark Twain." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 22 April 2014. Web. 25 April. 2014.