“This is a masterfully edited compendium that does Twain proud. It captures the note-taking, aphorism-creating, angry-letter-writing essence of Twain’s brain in a way essential, I think, to understanding the man, and by extension, the history of the United States and the nature of life on Earth.”

“Few collections could be wiser, funnier, or more, well, sane than Mark Twain’s Helpful Hints for Good Living…Twain may have been dead for nearly a century, but the careful sting of his eminently quotable prose will continue to live long after the Sonic Youth concert has emptied out, instant messaging has fallen by the wayside, and the workplace fridge raider has been sternly warned away from your Black Forest ham sandwich.”

“This book is a delightful read all the way through.”

“This wonderful book illustrates precisely why we can never have enough Twain. His humor is timeless, his wisdom about all things without equal.”

“Twain came to understand himself as ‘a moralist in disguise,’ and this collection reveals that truth clearly, without jettisoning any of his humor. If you are wrestling with how to advance stimulating dinner conversation, what to do with unwanted magazine subscriptions, how to deal with the ‘odious flummery’ of fashion, or whether or not to bring your dog to the next funeral, Twain is here to offer his gentle guidance. Old chestnuts and surprising obscurities are provided in a refreshed context through the rich and illuminating annotations of the ever brilliant editorial team at the Mark Twain Papers.”

“A delightful display of Mark Twain’s wit and humor loosely tied together under the guise of an advice book. Containing some things old, some things new, some things borrowed (in parody), but nothing blue, this charming collection of old favorites and new releases will guide you through life’s exigencies in fine spirits, if not in fine form. Twain’s advice occasionally touches the sublime, but only in the form of the ridiculous. This is the perfect gift book for any aficionado of Mark Twain, any connoisseur of the risible, or any stuffed-shirt who needs to lighten up.”

“Mark Twain’s Helpful Hints for Good Living is a real discovery as well as a delight. It brings us fresh material from an old friend and rediscovers great moments from the long shelves of his published writings. It’s the best, most reliable collection of Mark Twain as social observer, moralist, and comic genius.”

“This book serves up an elegant taste of Mark Twain’s love for the food of the American South, spiced generously with his celebrated wit. Food lovers and humorists alike will revel in the timeless wisdom gathered here.”