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Ignorance, confidence, and filthy rich friends the business adventures of Mark Twain, chronic speculator and entrepreneur

While the entire world knows Mark Twain as the renowned author of many classic American novels, few people are aware that he was also a highly successful businessman. In fact, more than half of his life was consumed by moneymaking pursuits, which often resulted in writing projects being neglected--but at the same time, these adventures were the inspiration behind many of the characters found in his books.

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  • "Mark Twain was not only a legendary author and humorist; he was also a successful businessman in a variety of ventures. He founded his own publishing house where he made a killing of $2.5 million in today's dollars by publishing General Ulysses S. Grant's memoirs. He was a venture capitalist who made significant investments in some 20 start-up firms and inventions. He was a Wall Street investor with a sizable stock portfolio. He was a pioneer in salesmanship, a brilliant public speaker, and a hard-nosed negotiator. He even set aside writing Huckleberry Finn to focus on his own inventions, which included a children's game he patented in 1885 and a self-adhesive scrapbook that turned a profit. From this tremendous breadth of experience, Twain became a savvy businessman in his own right. This book will be a thorough look at Twain's life as a successful man of business."
  • "While the entire world knows Mark Twain as the renowned author of many classic American novels, few people are aware that he was also a highly successful businessman. In fact, more than half of his life was consumed by moneymaking pursuits, which often resulted in writing projects being neglected--but at the same time, these adventures were the inspiration behind many of the characters found in his books."@en
  • "Ignorance, Confidence, and Filthy Rich Friends illuminates this little-known side of an American icon in an engaging and informative narrative that details a business career full of adventure, ambition, and insightful instruction. Author Peter Krass examines all the critical events and circumstances that shaped Twain's "Robber Baron" perspective on money and business. He reveals how, while often torn between being an enlightened man of letters and a materialistic capitalist, Twain was motivated by a relentless desire to accumulate great wealth. Krass traces the source of this sometimes unhealthy compulsion to the writer's boyhood-when he developed an irrational fear of poverty after his father's business ventures failed. At times as entertaining and dramatic as one of Twain's own works, this fascinating book tells how the legendary writer and humorist made millions in today's dollars publishing the memoirs of General Ulysses S. Grant. It details his escapades as a venture capitalist-one who made significant investments in some twenty start-up firms-and as a Wall Street investor with a sizable stock portfolio. It also tells how, often at the expense of his book projects, he promoted his own inventions, including a children's game he patented in 1885 and numerous other gadgets for everyday use."

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  • "History"@en
  • "History"
  • "Electronic books"@en
  • "Biography"@en
  • "Biography"

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  • "Ignorance, Confidence, and Filthy Rich Friends The Business Adventures of Mark Twain, Chronic Speculator and Entrepreneur"
  • "Ignorance, confidence, and filthy rich friends the business adventures of Mark Twain, chronic speculator and entrepreneur"@en
  • "Ignorance, confidence, and filthy rich friends: the business adventures of Mark Twain"
  • "Ignorance, confidence, and filthy rich friends : the business adventures of Mark Twain, chronic speculator and entrepreneur"

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