“[Mark] Twain was a publisher. He published General Grant's Memoirs (a big success) and had a hand in the publishing of many of his own books. He would, I think, be very keen about the question of how a book would sell.” ThinkingBookHandsBigsMarkSellsMemoirGrantsPublishingPublishersGeneral Grant Author:Hal Holbrook
“Please don't refer to me as "channeling Mark Twain." I'm an actor. Not a channeler. That word is an iPhone shortcut. Acting is more eloquent than that.” ActorsActingPleaseMarkIphoneEloquentShortcutsChanneling Author:Hal Holbrook
“[Mark] Twain is pointing at you. You, the reader of the book one hundred and thirty years ago and today. That is what has made it a great American novel and the most widely read book in American Literature around the world today.” WorldYearsMadeBookTodayLiteratureNovelReaderHundredYears AgoMarkMade ItAround The WorldThirtyPointingWorld TodayThirty YearsGreat AmericanAmerican Literature Author:Hal Holbrook
“Mark Twain married the daughter of one of New York State's leading Abolitionists, Jervis Langdon, who helped Frederick Douglass who became the great Negro leader to escape from slavery.” StatesLeaderNew YorkMarriedDaughterMarkSlaveryAbolitionistNew York State Author:Hal Holbrook
“The interesting scope of Mark Twain's development as a human being is that he grew. He saw, he travelled, he studied this country and later the world with the eye of a man educating himself. This is a central fact in the Mark Twain legacy. He became an American spokesman for the ideals of racial equality and dignity for the working man because he was willing to look the world in its face and see, really see what was happening to the people in it.” PeopleMenWorldHumansLooksCountryFactsEyeFacesHuman BeingsInterestingSawsWillingGrewDevelopmentHappeningsIdealsDignityMarkLegacyScopeWorking ManRacial Equality Author:Hal Holbrook
“Look, see, learn, become a citizen of Mankind, not just Hannibal, Missouri. That is the message of [Mark] Twain.” LooksMankindCitizensMessagesMarkMissouri Author:Hal Holbrook
“I never, ever update Mark Twain. I don't modernize it. I let the audience update the material. When I go out on stage, I'm trying to make the audience believe they're looking at this guy who died 104 years ago and listening to him and saying to themselves, "Jesus, he could be talking about today." And that's the point.” TryingYearsBelieveTodayGuyJesusTalkingAudienceStageMaterialsListeningYears AgoMarkDiedThis GuyUpdates Author:Hal Holbrook
“Why do I keep performing at my age? What else am I going to do? Play golf? I tried that years ago and all I did was cuss. I can do that without the walk, cuss at Congress and let [Mark]Twain do it. "Imagine that you were an idiot. And then imagine that you were a member of Congress. Wait - I've repeated myself."” YearsI CanPlayAgeWaitingCan DoWalksImagineMembersYears AgoMarkGolfCongressIdiotPerformingImagine That Author:Hal Holbrook
“[Mark] Twain called Congress "the only distinctly native criminal class in America. We've lately sent a United States Senator to the penitentiary." That was a fact.” StatesFactsAmericaUnitedClassUnited StatesMarkCongressCriminalsNativeSenators Author:Hal Holbrook
“What are we going to do about the injuries to our country still going on right in front of our eyes? It gets me out of bed in the morning. It makes me mad enough to get my blood up and want to get out there with [Mark] Twain and get it said and that is why I still hit the road and go out on the stage and keep working at staying alive.” WantSaidStillsCountryEnoughEyeMorningAliveBloodStageFrontsBedMarkMadOur CountryInjuryStayingStaying Alive Author:Hal Holbrook
“You can go into Mark Twain's material and prove anything you want. He was against war. He was for war. He was against rich people and he was for them. He was a kaleidoscope” PeopleWantWarRichMaterialsProveMarkRich PeopleVaccinesKaleidoscopeAgainst War Author:Hal Holbrook
