Author Appearances and Events

Thursday, May 8: TALK, READING AND BOOKSIGNING by Steve Courtney, The Mark Twain Public Library, Redding, CT. 7:30 p.m. For information, call 203-938-2545.

A drawing of Joseph Hopkins Twichell and Mark Twain

In November 1874, Twichell and Clemens decided to extend their weekly conversational walks by traveling to Boston on foot. The result was turned into an endless newspaper joke by Clemens and his publicist, James Redpath. The son of Clemens' female mentor Mary Fairbanks drew this sketch, which Twichell, who briefly sported a beard in this era, mounted in his journal. (Photo courtesy of Yale Collection of American Literature, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library)

Saturday, May 10, 2008: THE ANNUAL TWAIN-TWICHELL WALK from the Mark Twain House and Museum in Hartford to Heublein Tower at the top of Talcott Mountain. About an eight-mile walk, the last mile or so uphill, with a couple of breaks along the way, including a rest stop for picknicking and readings from Mark Twain and Joe Twichell. This walk commemorates the almost weekly spring and autumn walks Samuel L. Clemens and Joseph Hopkins Twichell took in the 1870s and 1880s, and roughly follows one of their routes. This has been more or less an annual event in the Hartford area since 1995. Led by Steve Courtney. For information, call Steve at 860-589-6412.

Saturday, May 17 and Sunday, May 18: JOSEPH HOPKINS TWICHELL WEEKEND at Asylum Hill Congregational Church, Hartford, CT. Steve will be part of a dialogue with the Reverend Peter Grandy during the three weekend services: Saturday, 5 p.m., and Sunday, 9 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. Following the 10:15 service, at approximately 11 a.m., there will be a booksigning in the church's Twichell Room. For information call 860-526-5696.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008: TALK, READING AND BOOKSIGNING by Steve Courtney at the Mark Twain House and Museum, Hartford, Connecticut. 6:30 p.m. For information, call 860-247-0998.

Wednesday, June 25: TALK AND BOOKSIGNING, Broad Street Books, Middletown, CT. 7:30 p.m. For information call 860-685-7323.

Monday, July 14, 2008: TALK, READING AND BOOKSIGNING by Steve Courtney at the Keene Valley Public Library, Keene Valley, New York. 7:30 p.m. This Adirondack town and the surrounding area was a favorite vacation spot for the Twichell family, and descendants still live in the area. For information, call 518-576-4335.