“There was things which he stretched, but mainly he told the truth.”
Mark Twain book Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Source: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885), Ch. 1.
Source: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Context: You don't know about me without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; but that ain't no matter. That book was made by Mr. Mark Twain, and he told the truth, mainly. There was things which he stretched, but mainly he told the truth.
“Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
Mark Twain (1835–1910) American author and humorist
Mark Twain book Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Source: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885), Ch. 43.
Source: The Adventures of Huck Finn
Context: So there ain't nothing more to write about, and I am rotten glad of it, because if I'd a knowed what a trouble it was to make a book I wouldn't a tackled it and aint't agoing to no more. But I reckon I got to light out for the Territory ahead of the rest, because Aunt Sally she's going to adopt me and sivilize me and I can't stand it. I been there before.
“Golf is a good walk spoiled.”
Mark Twain (1835–1910) American author and humorist
"Twain probably never uttered [these] words," according to R. Kent Rasmussen, editor of The Quotable Mark Twain (1998). <br class="br">"To play golf is to spoil an otherwise enjoyable walk" is found in H.S. Scrivener, "Memories of Men and Meetings" https://books.google.com/books?id=cYgCAAAAYAAJ&q=dicta#v=snippet&q=dicta&f=false, in Arthur Wallis Myers (ed.) Lawn Tennis at Home and Abroad New York:Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1903, p. 47. Scrivener attributes the aphorism to "my good friends the Allens". Reference from Quote Investigator http://quoteinvestigator.com/2010/05/28/golf-good-walk. <br class="br">Misattributed
“I am not given to exaggeration, and when I say a thing I mean it.”
Mark Twain book Roughing It
Source: Roughing It
“Of course, no man is entirely in his right mind at any time.”
Mark Twain (1835–1910) American author and humorist
Mark Twain book A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
Source: A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
“As to the adjective: when in doubt, strike it out.”
Mark Twain book Pudd'nhead Wilson
Source: Pudd'nhead Wilson
“Well, there are times when one would like to hang the whole human race and finish the farce.”
Mark Twain (1835–1910) American author and humorist
“The joy of killing! the joy of seeing killing done - these are traits of the human race at large.”
Mark Twain (1835–1910) American author and humorist
Source: Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World
“Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.”
Mark Twain (1835–1910) American author and humorist
“When majority is insane, sane must go to asylum.”
Mark Twain (1835–1910) American author and humorist
“I've never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure.”
Mark Twain (1835–1910) American author and humorist
“It was wonderful to find America, but it would have been more wonderful to miss it.”
Mark Twain (1835–1910) American author and humorist
“Those who don't read good books have no advantage over those who can't.”
Mark Twain (1835–1910) American author and humorist
Variant: The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.
