Mark Twain: 10 reasons we love him

For Twain's 176th's birthday, ten reasons the world is still fascinated by the Missouri native.

8. His wit was remarkably keen.

Library of Congress

Twain's clever aphorisms are as popular today as they were in his time. He often made his readers and listeners laugh by upending the pieties of their time with lines such as "Be good and you will be lonesome." Behind much of his humor was a deeply intelligent skepticism about his fellow human beings. "Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority," he quipped, "it is time to pause and reflect."

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