The Ultimate List of Top 20 Mark Twain Books

The Ultimate List of Top 20 Mark Twain Books

Mark Twain books are very popular in the Market. He was an American writer who was also a humorist, satirist, and best known for his novels. He was born on 30th November 1835 and died on 21st April 1910. One of the most decorated American writers. Mark Twain’s book covered many topics related to nature, religion, adventures, human beings, and many other topics. Mark’s books have also covered some diaries and essays which were written by the authors. Some of Mark Twain’s books were also published after his death.

One of The Favourite Mark Twain Quotes:

“The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.”

― Mark Twain

1. The Adventures of Huckley Finn

The Adventures of Huckley Finn

It’s an 1884 Picaresque novel. From the name, we can get this book is all about the adventure or life exposure of a young boy named Huckleberry Finn. A young boy ran away from his house and created a fake drama that he is dead for escaping from his abusive father then he found Jim a slave and then they started their journey down the Mississippi river. During the journey, they face many obstacles.


2. The Adventure of Tom Sawyer

The Adventure of Tom Sawyer

One more adventure novel! Well, it was published in 1876 and this book tells the story of a young boy (Tom) who lives with his aunt and his brother. He had a crush on a young girl who is new in the town of Missouri along the Mississippi river. As Mark Twain’s book name is started with adventure so in these adventures are also there that the young boy tom saw a murderer and he was the witness when the murderer caught so he also tells the truth in the court and also finds a treasure that was buried. So this Mark Twain book is all about adventures, the importance of family and friends, and about honesty.


3. Life on the Mississippi

Life on the Mississippi

This is the story of a steamboat pilot on the Mississippi river and this story started before the civil war. This book tells about Twain’s childhood in which he dreamt of being a pilot and how he achieved his dream. During the steamboat pilot training, he tells about the training procedure and the difficulties that come during the training and after the completion of the training he tells about the adventures in the river during his duty.


4. The Innocents Abroad

The Innocents Abroad

The Innocents Abroad was published in 1869. This book is all about the journey of some American travelers who travel to Europe and the holy places. The author talked about the experiences they had with unfamiliar cultures and they visited all the famous sites and historical places and also did many adventures. The author talked about the behavior of his mates, how they encounter new places, how they react to their culture, and how they adopt the new cultures. This book is all about the travel and cultural knowledge of Europe.


5. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court

One more 80s book. This book tells us the story of a 19th-century man whose name is Hank Morgan and he goes back in time due to a blow on his head. At a time when king Arthur had his dynasty. And with some science experiments, Hank Morgan convinces the king and the court that he is a magician. After showing some magic tricks he became the advisor of the king and then in the medieval period he invents bicycles, arms, and the telephone which makes the king powerful and the people live their life happily but after sometimes he saw the cruelness of the king so he decided to establish a democratic republic but the king does not like it and hanged him then he wakes up in real time and thought all things were a dream. This Mark Twain book is full of comedy and adventures.


6. The Prince and the Pauper

The Prince and the Pauper

It is a novel and was published in 1881. This is a story of two boys, one boy whose name Edward Tudor was the prince of wales and another boy whose name is Tom a poor boy from London. They both were bored with their life. Edward (Prince) was bored with the strict rules and the responsibilities and Tom (Poor boy) was influenced by the luxurious life of the prince, good clothes, and good food. So they decided to change their places for one day. They both enjoyed it but they had a problem when they were unable to switch it back. 

Then they lived swapped lives and faced many problems. The prince was living a beggar life, and the tom who is not able to take political decisions and all the responsibilities which a prince has. In the end, they revealed their identities and switched back to their positions. 


7. Roughing it

Roughing it

This is one of the best books by Mark Twain. It was published in 1872. This book is about the personal experience of the author which he experiences during the journey from Missouri to Nevada during the mid-19th century. The author started his journey in St. Louis and then he traveled toward Nevada by stagecoach, boat, and train. In Nevada, he works as a journalist and then he also works in mining. This Mark Twain book is filled with humor, satire, and social commentary. He tells about the corrupt mining industry and the greed of people. 


8. Pudd’nhead Wilson

Pudd’nhead Wilson

Pudd’nhead Wilson was published in mid-1894. This book by Mark Twain tells us about the story of two boys who were born on the same day, one was born in a wealthy white family and the other one was born in a slave family before the birth he was sold to a white family. The name of the rich kid is Tom and the slave kid is chambers. After they grew up they both became friends. Then the new detective Pudd’nhead Wilson came to town who is famous for finding criminals through the fingerprint technique. Both boys change their identities but then Wilson finds them and the story is about this incident.


 9. Mark Twain’s Autobiography

Mark Twain’s Autobiography

Published in three volumes from 2010 to 2015. This book is all about Mark Twain’s life, it starts with the childhood of Mark Twain’s life in Mussoorie, all his travel experiences, his early life, and his educational career. He shares all the difficulties he faced in his career like financial loss about the culture of America, about the people’s perspective of an author. This book tells about the author’s mindset after all he is one of the most decorated authors in America.

10. The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today

The Gilded Age - A Tale of Today

This book by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley tells us about the greed and corruption of that era and this name as the gilded age. The story is about two boys, one who was hardworking and the other one who was lazy. The two friends started a business and hope that they will become rich with it. They tell us how politics is involved in all the corruption and about the exploitation of the workers. How everyone thinks about their own benefits and because of this how society struggles.

11. Following the Equator

Following the Equator

Following the Equator was published in 1891. This Mark Twain book tells us about the journey of all the countries in which they visited from 1895 to 1896. The author started his journey in Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, India, and many other countries. He tells about his observation of the culture and the people of different countries. One of the most focused talks is about the island of Fiji where he practices cannibalism and also understands the cultural and historical significance of cannibalism. This book tells about the cultures of the different countries where the author visited.


12. Letter from the Earth

Letter from the Earth

The book was published after 1910. This book by Mark Twain has all the essays which were written by the author and this book is published after the death of the author. The essays covered a wide range of topics: morality, society, and human religion. Twain writes about the social norms regarding people’s cruelty and kindness, the purpose of human existence, and all the aspects of life. Overall this Mark Twain book is all about questioning their self-beliefs and assumptions about the whole world.


13. The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County

The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County

It is an 1865 short story by Mark Twain. This book by Mark Twain was narrated by a stranger. The stranger’s name was Simon wheeler. This book the story is about a frog and its owner. The owner of the frog was a gambler and he has a special frog who has the power to make the highest jump in the town and the owner earns lots of money with that betting. One day he lost because of cheating. In the end, the author realizes that Simon wheeler has told him an irrelevant story and then he said never to trust a talkative stranger. 


14. The Mysterious Stranger

The Mysterious Stranger

This is one of the best books by Mark Twain. It was published in 1916. This Mark Twain book is all about the adventures of three boys who live in a village. One day the boys found a stranger who knows the art of controlling the human brain. The stranger’s name is Satan and he claimed that he is an angel and he can create illusions and can control minds. Satan also offers them that he can teach them the art and later on when the boys grew up they realize that this art is a waste and meaningless by manipulating people he is creating so much darkness around the village so one of the boys feels very shameless and mentally depressed and another boy become mad and at the end suicide with a note in which he told satan was just creating darkness with his art.


15. What is man?

What is man?

What is man? is a short story which was in 1906. This Mark Twain book tells us about an essay means this book is an essay on a particular topic like human psychology on the nature of human being and the purpose of their lives author tells is this book that human is very selfish and self-centeredness in nature and human always wanted to be heuristic nature. The author says self-centeredness is not always bad. And says human actions totally depend on their environment, upbringing, and genetics.


16. Christian Science

Christian Science

This is one of the best books by Mark Twain. It was published in 1907. This book by Mark Twain is all about Christian science, the power of a prayer in which science does not have any proof. All the religious thoughts are included in it and some people also find this book offensive Mark Twain’s book also tells that Christian science is a thing in which people stop thinking and blindly believe in their religious leaders. It tells about the point of view of the author regarding religious and spiritual beliefs.


17. The War Prayer

The War Prayer

This 1905’s short story book is about the effect of blind patriotism. This is a story of a church during a patriotic rally when everyone prays for victory and the old come out and pray. 

For people to realize the demerits of the war which will face by the enemies and soldiers of our country and then the old man suggested reconsidering the thought of the war and stopping blindly supporting the war in the name of patriotism.


18. Captain Storm field’s Visit to Heaven

Captain Storm field’s Visit to Heaven

Captain Storm field’s Visit to Heaven is a story made by the author which is about a ship captain whose name is Stormfield and he dies after a life at sea. After he dies he goes to heaven and he finds that the heaven has divided into three sections the upper one is for kings emperors, and for top-level officers and storm field is very sad because he is not on the upper level but then he realizes that he can go to the upper level by enhancing his knowledge and wisdom. And the author also wants to tell you that life is not about money and fame, it is all about enhancing your knowledge and thinking. 


19. Extracts from Adam’s Diary

Extracts from Adam’s Diary

One of the best books by Mark Twain, it was published in 1904. This is a dairy about the story of Adam’s experience in the garden of Eve. And this story is written in a diary and according to the dates. One day Adam wakes up in the park and is fascinated by the fist and how he finds the eve. With eve he lives happily he has an argument with eve on some topics. And they decided to make a shelter after making it. They decided to shift to a cave that is more secure and strong. This is a beautiful story of Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden.


20. Eve’s Diary

Eve’s Diary

Eve’s Diary is the last in this list but not the least. It was published in 1904. This book by Mark Twain is also a diary but from the perspective of Eve. It is about the experiences of eve in the garden of Eden. Eve wakes up in the garden of Eve and sees the beautiful nature and gives the name to the birds, animals, and trees then she meets Adam and she is impressed by her hunting and cooking skills. Then they decided to make a shelter in the garden and they chose a cave for the shelter which provides better security and protection from the rain and other things. This book is about the experience of nature which people feel when they see it for the first time.

Wrapping Up

After deep research and high confusion, I’ve come up with this list of best Mark Twain books. I hope you like these books and appreciate the efforts. If you have any suggestions, please comment down, and don’t forget to share it with your reader friends.

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