Mark Twain, A Life

I just finished Mark Twain, A Life by Ron Powers. I realized that there was a lot I didn't know about Mark Twain. I have read a bit of his work, but there is a lot left I would like to read. The last part of the biography was fairly sad, especially so because of his raging and rebellion towards God. That rebellion is doubly sad because his image of God was formed from experiences with hypocritical followers of God. It is interesting to learn about his political writings and viewpoints in the turn-of-the-century America. It is also interesting how time allows us to disconnect a person from their politics or beliefs or labels and to enjoy them on our terms. The biography portrays Theodore Roosevelt and Samuel Clemens as political opponents, yet both are well-regarded today as great Americans. Living one hundred years ago, it might have been hard to appreciate both.