Literary compliment – Mark Twain and Edgar Allan Poe

Works of American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) were not very well received at the time when Poe was alive. Poe's stories and poems were especially despised by writer and journalist Mark Twain (1835-1910) who once in a letter to his friend wrote:

“To me his prose is unreadable—like Jane Austin’s. No, there is a difference. I could read his prose on salary, but not Jane’s. Jane is entirely impossible. It seems a great pity that they allowed her to die a natural death.

Another thing: you grant that God and circumstances sinned against Poe, but you also grant that he sinned against himself—a thing which he couldn’t do and didn’t do.”

 

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Bad Luck – Mark Twain

During his fruitful life, the famous American writer Mark Twain (1835-1910) held numerous lectures in many cities of the United States. On one occasion, he was supposed to hold a lecture in certain small town that he hadn’t visited before.

Before the lecture, he went to the barbershop.  He told the owner that he wanted to be shaved and after that, he mentioned that it was his first visit to this town.

"In due time you visited our town", the barber politely said to him.

"Why is that?" Mark Twain asked.

"The famous writer Mark Twain will give a lecture this evening. You will not miss that, right?", the barber replied.

"Well, I hope that I will not ..."

"Have you bought a ticket? It will be a big crowd."

"No, I haven’t yet ..."

"Unfortunately, they are all sold out. You will have to stand."

"I have bad luck,” sighed Mark Twain. "Whenever he is holding a lecture, I have to stand.”

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