Mark Twain  

Samuel Langhorne Clemens was an American author and humorist who went by the pen name Mark Twain. He is best known for his novels The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885), which are often referred to as "the Great American Novels". Throughout his life, Twain was a popular figure who had many influential friends, including presidents, artists, industrialists, and European royalty. His sharp wit and biting satire earned him praise from both critics and peers. William Faulkner considered Twain the father of American literature.