Volume III of Mark Twain's Notebooks

Spanning the years 1883 to 1891, this volume covers a period during which Mark Twain's personal fortunes reached their zenith, establishing him as one of the most successful authors and publishers in American literary history.

During these years, works such as Life on the Mississippi, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court appeared, showcasing the diversity, depth, and vitality of Twain's literary talents.

With his speeches, public performances, and a lecture tour in 1884/1885, he became the most recognizable of national figures.

At the same time, Twain's growing fame and prosperity enabled him to venture into the business world, a sphere not naturally suited to his erratic energies. He created the subscription publishing firm of Charles L. Webster & Company, which published the most profitable book of its time, The Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant.

He also became the primary financial supporter of the ingenious but imperfectible Paige typesetter. Within a few years, both the publishing company and the typesetter scheme taxed Twain's patience and finances beyond endurance.

The near bankruptcy of the publishing firm and the debacle of the typesetter scheme ultimately led in 1891 to a drastic decision—to leave the Hartford, Connecticut house that symbolized Twain's rising fortunes and idyllic family life, and to move to Europe for an indefinite period in hopes of reducing living expenses.

The Clemens family never returned to the Hartford house, and their European stay extended into an almost unbroken nine years of exile.

Twain's notebooks offer an intimate view of this turbulent period, whose triumphs were tempered by hints of financial disaster and personal bitterness.