The index is organized alphabetically, not chronologically. The following have not been indexed: fictional characters, newspaper articles and subheadings, all subjects of all letters, whether paraphrased, summarized, or quoted.
Items within the Addenda & Errata for Vol. I. are included in this index. This index includes books, and literary works, as well as the authors of those works (these were not indexed for Vol. I). Readers may seek up to date bibliographies for Samuel Clemens’ vast array of writings, including the on-line site of Camfield’s Oxford Companion to Mark Twain. Also, Thomas Tenney’s Mark Twain, A Reference Guide (with many supplements) is still a central reference for works written about Clemens. Alan Gribben’s Mark Twain’s Library: A Reconstruction is an excellent source for Sam’s literary interests and ownership of a vast library of works.
This index focuses on persons and places, with lesser emphasis on events and subjects, such as baseball or International Copyright efforts. Those who corresponded with Sam are indexed; locations are limited to those Sam stayed or planned to visit. Whenever possible, surname, first name and middle initial or middle name are listed. In some cases these are unknown; some individuals may be double listed, when it was undetermined if they were different people, such as a “Mrs.” listing and a maiden name. If Sam referred to someone in a letter and only the last name is given, and no other reference was found, then the last name only is indexed. Merchants and commercial firms, when named as “John B. Smith, Plumber,” are alphabetized and indexed in the same order as the literal company name, in this case under “John” not “Smith.” Likewise, “Wm. H. Jackson & Co.” as “Wm” not as “William” or “Jackson.”
Mark Twain’s major literary works, may be found directly by name of the work. His minor works, as well as a sprinkling of his interesting events, opinions and experiences may be found as subheadings under Clemens, Samuel L.: Sub headings are indented and underlined; sub-sub headings are doubly indented, etc.. The principal subheadings for Clemens are:
- Attended
- Declined
- Essays
- Fascinated by
- Gave
- Honored by
- Interviewed by
- Lectures/Readings
- Objected to
- Sketches
- Solicited
- Speeches
- Suffered
- Unfinished/Unpublished works
- Upset with
- Visited
- Opinion of
Many listings are mere mentions; some significant, some trivial. In a day-by-day chronology, much of a trivial nature is included, which scholars and researchers may find, in context, to be significant. Many speeches, readings and lectures are indexed, but these are not meant to be complete. Readers should seek individual entries in a given timeframe for more specifics. Many readings included several set pieces, and not all lectures were such in the common meaning of the term at that time.
Inquiries may be made to the publisher: HorizonMicroPub@aol.com
The index of a book should always be written by the author, even though the book itself should be the work of another hand. — Attributed to M.T. by Robert Underwood Johnson, Remembered Yesterdays, p 190n1.
£1,000,000 Bank-Note and Other New Stories, The, 471, 474, 634, 674, 720, 741, 753, 758, 768, 962
10,000 wager, Farce in Two Acts by John George Wood, 80
1601, 20
1880 presidential election, 18
1884 April Fool’s joke, 1003
1888 presidential election, 319
1892 presidential election, 743, 747
1896 presidential election, 1193