Joseph Early Thomas on SINK - A Memoir with Kiese Laymon (Virtual)
Tuesday, February 28 at 7pm ET

Don't miss this virtual discussion on the new memoir The New York Times calls "Extraordinary."

Virtual: $5 non-members and members. Admission price will be deducted from your signed copy of the book with purchase. LEARN MORE & REGISTER HERE.

A Lunchtime Conversation with Ann-Helén Laestadius on STOLEN - A Novel with Laurel Sanders and Tiffany Quade (Virtual)
Thursday, March 2 at 12pm ET

“Now we have the opportunity and the power to tell our story,” she said. “It is ours to tell.” - Ann-Helén Laestadius

Based on real events, the award-winning novel Stolen follows a young indigenous woman, daughter of Sámi reindeer herders in Sweden, as she struggles to defend her family’s herd and culture amidst xenophobia, climate change, and a devious hunter whose targeted kills are considered mere theft in the eyes of the law. Part coming-of-age story, part love song to a disappearing natural world, and part electrifying countdown to a dramatic resolution—Stolen is a searing depiction of a forgotten part of Sweden. 

Virtual: $5 non-members and members. Admission price will be deducted from your signed copy of the book with purchase. LEARN MORE & REGISTER HERE.

MARK Your Calendar

You’re Invited…

The Mark Twain House & Museum invites you to the Grand Opening Reception for our brand new exhibition…

‘For Business or Pleasure? Twain’s Summer Sojourns’
Thursday, March 23, 2023 from 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Mark Twain House and Museum

Readers Wanted!

Help Us Find the Next Great American Novel!

The Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award is given to distinguished fiction that speaks with an American voice and tells a uniquely American story. We believe that America represents a wide diversity of races, ethnicities, and modalities. This country is an extraordinary tapestry of experiences, and we look for prize winners that explore that richness in all of its complexities. Authors need not be residents of this country, but the stories must be clearly American in their perspective.

We are seeking readers to read some submitted novels. The volunteer readers' combined feedback will guide us in selecting a “long list” of titles. To inquire about joining the American Voice reading committee please email Literary Programs Coordinator Omar Acevedo at [email protected].

Coming Next

A Civil War Era Retelling of Jane Eyre

Sophfronia Scott on WILD, BEAUTIFUL AND FREE - A Novel with Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa (Virtual)
Tuesday, March 7 at 7pm ET

Award-winning author and called “one of the best writers of her generation,” by Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Sophfronia Scott is back with Wild, Beautiful, and Free, a fresh retelling of Jane Eyre that follows a mixed-race woman fighting for her freedom and her inheritance in a nineteenth century America that does not believe she deserves either. Joined by fellow award-winning author, Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa, Scott will discuss her novel and how she brought the Civil War era to life and delivered a powerful story of perseverance, identity, and self-empowerment. 

Virtual: $5 non-members and members. Admission price will be deducted from your signed copy of the book with purchase. LEARN MORE & REGISTER HERE. 

A Memoir from Emmett Till's Cousin and Best Friend
Reverend Wheeler Parker, Jr. and Christopher Benson on A FEW DAYS FULL OF TROUBLE: Revelations on the Journey to Justice for My Cousin and Best Friend, Emmett Till with Dr. Vivian Martin (Virtual)
Thursday, March 9 at 7pm ET

An Amazon Best Book of January 2023, and called “a unique window onto the anguished search for justice” by Jon Meacham,?A Few Days of Trouble?is Reverend Wheeler Parker Jr.’s testimony as the?last surviving witness to the lynching of Emmett Till. He tells his story with poignant recollections of Emmett as a boy, critical insights into the recent investigation, and powerful lessons for racial reckoning, both then and now. With co-writer Christopher Benson and moderator Dr. Vivian Martin, Reverend Walker will discuss this new work of truth-telling—a gift to those looking to reconcile the weight of the past with a hope for the future. 

Virtual: $5 non-members and members. Admission price will be deducted from your signed copy of the book with purchase. LEARN MORE & REGISTER HERE. 

Deadline Approaches!

Calling All Hartford Students
Express Yourself!

The Hartford Creative Contest is an annual competition open to all Hartford School students and residents in grades 4-12. The contest consists of student’s submissions of original essays, poetry, and artwork that best reflects 1 of 3 yearly topics. Submissions are judged and have a chance of being selected as the winners.

To enter the Hartford Creative Contest you must be a Hartford resident in grades 4-12 or you must be a non Hartford resident attending a Hartford school. You must create an original essay, poem, or piece of artwork that fits into one of the prompts. Deadline is March 3, so click here to get all of the details and get started: https://marktwainhouse.org/teachers-students/educational-programs-internships/

Come Visit!

Plan your visit to America's Best House Museum (Forbes Magazine, 2021) by CLICKING HERE.

PLEASE NOTE: The museum will be closed on Tuesdays through March. We will be open all other days from 9:30am to 4:30pm, with the final tour of the day stepping off at 3:15pm.

GRAVEYARD SHIFT GHOST TOURS (In-Person)
Friday, March 31 beginning at 6pm

Make a nighttime visit to the Victorian home of Mark Twain, a journey into the paranormal and haunted history. Featured on SyFy’s Ghost Hunters, Ghost Hunters Academy, and Biography Channel’s My Ghost Story, you’re in for a night of mystery filled with creepy stories and exclusive accounts of unexplained encounters in the Clemens family home. Grab your tickets while you can…. they might disappear faster than a ghost!

Tickets: $29 / $21 for children 10 to 16. Not recommended for children under 10. LEARN MORE & REGISTER HERE.

Upcoming Events:

V = Virtual Event; IP = In-Person Event

February 26 - Sink: A Memoir with Joseph Earl Thomas (V)

February 28 - Stolen: A Novel with Ann-Helén Laestadius (V)

March 7 - Wild, Beautiful, and Free: A Novel with Sophfronia Scott (V)

March 9 - A Few Days of Trouble: Revelations on the Journey to Justice for My Cousin and Best Friend, Emmett Till with Reverend Wheeler Parker, Jr. and Christopher Benson (V)

March 16 - War Diary with Yevgenia Belorusets (V)

March 21 - MTH&M and Charter Oak Cultural Center present Happily: A Personal History -- With Fairy Tales with Sabrina Orah Mark (V)

March 31 - Graveyard Shift Ghost Tours of The Mark Twain House (IP)

To see all event information and registration, CLICK HERE.

To preorder books for our upcoming events, CLICK HERE. Signed books will be mailed after the event. Please note that we cannot ship outside of the U.S. at this time.

Your donation to The Mark Twain House & Museum helps us meet our mission to preserve the home and legacy of Mark Twain. Thank you for your generosity!

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