The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain is considered to be a classic in modern American literature. Originally published in 1876, this popular novel follows a young boy growing up in a small town along the Mississippi River. The story is set in the town of "St Petersburg", inspired by Hannibal, Missouri, where Mark Twain grew up. This Special Literary Collectors Edition includes a Preface by Mark Twain. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 - April 21, 1910), better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. He is noted for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885), called "the Great American Novel", and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876). He was lauded as the "greatest American humorist of his age." REVIEWS: "Perhaps the best-loved nineteenth-century American novel, Mark Twain's tale of boyhood adventure overflows with comedy, warmth, and slapstick energy" - New York Times "Without a doubt one of the greatest novels of our time. Mark Twain is the father of American literature." - William Falkner "Invokes and captures the spirit of the American character at its most innocent." - Saturday Evening Post