“Never argue with stupid people. They will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.” – Mark Twain
On this day in 1863, Samuel Clemens first used the pen name “Mark Twain” in The Territorial Enterprise, a newspaper in Virginia City, NV.
The pseudonym originated from his days as a riverboat pilot on the Mississippi when crews regularly measured the depth of the river with a knotted rope. A “mark twain” indicated a measurement of two fathoms (a fathom is 6 feet), which was safe enough for a riverboat to navigate without getting stuck in the mud. This new nom de plume was catchier and more positive than the name he previously wrote under, “Thomas Jefferson Snodgrass.”
Mark Twain is the name people remember for the great American novelist who wrote the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and many other books and essays. He was the familiar voice of satire and wit that could make most any simple activity seem either foolish or grand. Mark Twain was a world traveler, who was honored for his writing and humor in multiple countries, and a friend to presidents, industrialists, and artists.
Music Du Jour: Mark Twain playlist
Films Du Jour:
- A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court
- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1993)
- Tom Sawyer (1973)
- Holbrook/Twain: An American Odyssey (2012). Hal Holbrook played Twain for 50+ years.
- Mark Twain (2002) season 1
Miscellaneous:
- Mark Twain’s love for politicians can be summarized on a T-Shirt
- Mark Twain believed there were distinct differences between man and other animals.
- Twain predicted his own death upon the return announcement of the comet that oversaw his birth. “I came in with Halley’s Comet in 1835. It is coming again next year, and I expect to go out with it.” He died of a heart attack one day after the comet’s closest approach to Earth.
- Twain was a whiskey fan.
- His family burial site in Elmira, NY is marked by a 12-foot (two-fathom) monument.
Snacks du Jour: Twain was a well-travelled food lover and is known for his love of fresh oysters. Here’s a few other things he liked.
Cocktail Du Jour – Mark Twain Classic Cocktail
This recipe is from Steve S. via Intoxicologist.net, referring to a drink Twain had in London:
- 2 oz scotch
- 1 oz lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 5 oz simple syrup
- 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Combine liquids in cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to blend and chill and strain into chilled martini glass or coupe glass.Straight whiskey (especially bourbon) is also appropriate today.
Mocktail Du Jour – Mark Twain Classic Mocktail
- 2 oz nonalcoholic single malt scotch
- 1 oz lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 5 oz simple syrup
- 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Combine liquids in cocktail shaker with ice. Shake to blend and chill and strain into chilled martini glass or coupe glass.
Beer Du Jour
Mark Twain Brewing labels if you can find them, or any beer aged in a bourbon barrel
Wine Du Jour
Your favorite wine is appropriate today, because:“There are no standards of taste in wine… Each man’s own taste is the standard, and a majority vote cannot decide for him or in any slightest degree affect the supremacy of his own standard.” – Mark Twain
Use freshly squeezed citrus in your cocktails and mocktails when called for – It makes such a difference! Here’s a reliable and inexpensive juicer.
Get the Beverage Du Jour blog by email so you always know when and how to celebrate with us.
Celebrated too hard? Find your personal hangover fix with our bestselling Amazon book Hangover Remedies from Around the World.
© 2023, The Beverage Du Jour, TRH Online, LLC. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Photo credit: “Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) with Cigar, ca. 1907 by A. F. Bradley (LOC)” by pingnews.com is licensed under CC BY 2.0Guardianship Abuse Awareness Day.
