quintessential American humor writer, he was also a keen
observer and critic of cultural and social trends. In this vein,
he undertook a book-length discussion and analysis of
Christian Science and New Thought, both of which enjoyed
immense popularity in the nineteenth and early twentieth
centuries in the United States. The controversial text was
originally rejected by Twain's publisher, a gesture that the
author saw as confirming the influence and power of the
religious movement More...
