Mark Twain had a sterling reputation for his sharp wit and talent for saying things in a way that stuck with people long after they heard them. Behind the humor, however, was a writer who was deeply observant of human nature and the contradictions of everyday life. His words often carried both humor and insight, which is part of why he is still quoted more than a century later.
Some are funny, others are eye-opening, but all of them reveal the personality behind the legend. Together, they highlight why his writing still resonates today and why his observations about people remain just as relevant now as they were in his own time. Let’s take a look at 17 Mark Twain quotes that reveal the man behind the mystery.
1. On telling the truth
“If you tell the truth you don’t have to remember anything.”
2. On buying land
“Buy land, they’re not making it anymore.”
3. On doing the right thing
“Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest.”
4. On denial
“Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt.”
5. On education
“Don’t let schooling interfere with your education.”
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6. On truth and fiction
“Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; truth isn’t.”
7. On accomplishment
“There are basically two types of people. People who accomplish things, and people who claim to have accomplished things. The first group is less crowded.”
8. On getting it over with
“If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.”
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9. On troubles
“I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened.”
10. On the size of the dog
“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight; it’s the size of the fight in the dog.”
11. On forgiveness
“Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.”
12. On courage
“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.”
13. On cheering yourself up
“The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up.”
14. On actions and words
“Action speaks louder than words but not nearly as often.”
15. On aging
“Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of eighty and gradually approach eighteen.”
16. On success
“All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure.”
17. On compliments
“I can live for two months on a good compliment.”
Want to see more celebrity quotes?
Check out 15 Tom Hanks Quotes That Prove He’s Hollywood’s Nicest Legend, or take a look at 15 Morgan Freeman Quotes That Prove He Is the Wisest Man in Hollywood. Finally, if you want to see quotes from Jack Nicholson, check out 18 Jack Nicholson Quotes That Reveal Who He Truly Is.
