“When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant, I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.”

— Mark Twain

The quote "When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant, I could hardly stand to have the old m…" is famous quote attributed to Mark Twain (1835–1910), American author and humorist.

Not found in Twain's works, this was attributed to him in Reader's Digest (September 1939): no prior attribution known. Mark Twain’s father died when Twain was eleven years old.
Disputed
Variant: When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update March 31, 2026. History

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Mark Twain637

American author and humorist 1835–1910

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“When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant, I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.”

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Mark Twain637

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