Ignorance, Confidence, and Filthy Rich Friends: The Business Adventures of Mark Twain, Chronic Speculator and Entrepreneur (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780471933373)

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.

In Ignorance, Confidence, and Filthy Rich Friends, Peter Krass captures a little-known side of this American icon and details the roller coaster ride of his business ventures in a dramatic, entertaining, and informative narrative style. From Twain's time as the founder of his own publishing house--where he made a small fortune publishing General Ulysses S. Grant's memoirs--to his foray into venture capitalism and investment in numerous start-up firms, to his focus on his own inventions, this engaging book reveals the Mark Twain that few of us know: the no-nonsense, successful American businessman.

Author: Peter Krass
ISBN-10: 0471933376
ISBN-13: 9780471933373
Publisher: Wiley
Language: English
Published: 03/05/2007
Pages: 288
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 0.89lbs
Size: 8.70h x 5.84w x 1.03d

Review Citation(s):
Booksense Picks 03/01/2007 pg. 1
Library Journal 03/05/2007