Mark Twain @ MPL

American author and humorist Mark Twain, as portrayed by Dough Riley of Tunnelton, is the featured speaker for the Readers' Reception at the Martinsburg Public Library on Saturday, August 2 at 1:00 pm on the main floor of the library. The Readers' Reception is an annual event held following the end of the Adult Summer Reading Program to recognize not only those who participated in the program, but all library patrons as well.

Mark Twain, pen name for Samuel Clemens, is celebrated today as one of America's great authors and humorists. As the young country rapidly grew into an international and industrial power throughout the second half of the 19th century, Twain shared his observations through his writing and speeches. His best known novels are The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, but his body of work includes nonfiction, magazine articles, monographs, and commentaries that provide interesting insight into American history.

Twain is one of the many character presentations offered through the West Virginia Humanities Council's History Alive! Program. These presentations serve as a means of exploring history by interacting with noteworthy historical figures. As a humanities scholar, Riley has researched the writings, speeches, and biographies of Twain using whenever possible his original words.

This program is free to the public.