Chelmsford Public Library

How not to get rich, the financial misadventures of Mark Twain, Alan Pell Crawford

eng

Includes bibliographical references and indexIncludes bibliographical references (pages 199-218) and index

index present

non fiction

How not to get rich

bibliography

967078662

Alan Pell Crawford

the financial misadventures of Mark Twain

Twain was an active, even giddy, participant in all the great booms and busts of his time, launching himself into one harebrained get-rich scheme after another. But far from striking it rich, he failed with comical regularity in an era notorious for its wealth and excess. Mining firms failed; importing coca leaves from the Amazon fizzled. Crawford tells Twain's story of financial optimism and perseverance, and in doing so creates a cracked-mirror history of American business itself

Whatever I touch turns to gold -- That splendid enterprise -- Do you gamble? -- I had to seek another livelihood -- All that glitters -- Rich and brimful of vanity -- The richest place on earth -- Poor, pitiful business! -- It is ours " all ours : everything -- In fairyland -- To live in this style -- How the ignorant and inexperienced succeed -- A lie & a fraud -- The proportions of my prosperity -- This awful mechanical miracle -- Our prosperity became embarrassing -- Get me out of business! -- His money is tainted -- Mark Twain loses all -- Knocked flat on my back -- Money for a monument -- You cannot lose a penny -- To succeed in business