The Gilded Age

First published in 1873, The Gilded Age is the only novel Mark Twain co-authored. Both a biting satire and an illuminating portrait of post-Civil War America, the novel focuses on the excesses of the period and captures the feverish pursuit of wealth and power, where land speculation, political corruption, and social ambition collide. Through a cast of vivid characters, Twain and Warner expose the glittering surface of prosperity that conceals greed, inequality, and moral decay. A landmark work that gave its name to an entire era, The Gilded Age remains a sharp, entertaining critique of American society—one that feels as relevant today as it did more than a century ago. Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known by his pen name Mark Twain (1835–1910), grew up along the banks of the Mississippi River, and his early experiences inspired many of his most famous works, including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Widely celebrated as America's greatest humorist, Twain captured the spirit of a rapidly changing nation, and his sharp wit, keen eye for human nature, and gift for storytelling made him not only a beloved novelist but also a popular lecturer and essayist. Twain's innovative style, character-driven storytelling and ability to interweave humour with profound social critique laid the groundwork for modern American literature and has inspired countless authors, including Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Indeed, Hemingway famously declared that "all modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn."