tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81648484947310354472024-03-13T05:50:40.929-05:00Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum BlogThe Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum in Hannibal, Missouri is comprised of eight historical buildings including the Boyhood Home, a National Historic Landmark. The Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum Blog is comprised of webpages, words, and pictures. Executive director, Dr. Cindy Lovell, maintains the blog while also working to maintain the buildings and artifacts with the help of dedicated staff, volunteers, board members and fans of Mark Twain. Thank you for reading!Cindy Lovell, Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102443084612342243noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8164848494731035447.post-65610949192596878412012-12-07T01:21:00.001-06:002012-12-11T19:57:55.194-06:00A Top 12 List for 2012In looking over past blog posts, I realize that it's been... ahem... a while. In my defense, however, it's been just a bit on the busy side this past year. And in that spirit, I'd like to offer something of a countdown - in no particular order - of the <b>12 best events of 2012 </b>at the Mark Twain Museum! <br />
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<b>1.</b> The museum <a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150954343485590.474767.97399285589&type=3" target="_blank">celebrated</a> its <b>100th anniversary</b> on May 15, 2012 with a <a href="http://www.connecttristates.com/news/story.aspx?id=754299" target="_blank">ceremony on the mall</a> in front of the Boyhood Home. Special guests included Sara Zimmerman, great-granddaughter of George Mahan who purchased the home in 1911 to save it from demolition. He gave the home to the city of Hannibal in 1912, and since that time more than 8.5 million visitors have toured the home. Miss Zimmerman summed up the sentiments of those attending when she said, "It makes me feel very blessed that my grandfather had the foresight to do this for the city of Hannibal. It was an amazing act of preservation in a time when preservation was hardly known." Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer also spoke at the ceremony about the importance of the museum properties from both an economic and historical perspective. The museum exhibited "100 Years of Memories" featuring a retrospective of special visitors and events through the years including an <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/index.php/community-projects/100-years-of-memories" target="_blank">online gallery</a>. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ti5mEODe3eo/UMFzzWz4TNI/AAAAAAAAAHI/Fpeb1M20SlY/s1600/Picture+8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="183" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ti5mEODe3eo/UMFzzWz4TNI/AAAAAAAAAHI/Fpeb1M20SlY/s320/Picture+8.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Centennial Celebration</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<b>2.</b> Historic preservation being the focus of our efforts, it was exciting to witness the completion of the <b>Van Swearingen House</b> <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/index.php/community-projects/vans-swearingen-house" target="_blank">restoration project</a> by Hannibal High School historic preservation trades class students. More than 50 students worked on the 1844 home for two years. The Riedel Foundation provided substantial support for the restoration, and the home is now ready for new owners. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UEk48V_QctY/UMF1WBvgrzI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/aZ3JrEJqGtQ/s1600/VanSwearingenDiningBeforeAndAfter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="137" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UEk48V_QctY/UMF1WBvgrzI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/aZ3JrEJqGtQ/s320/VanSwearingenDiningBeforeAndAfter.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before and After</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><br /></td></tr>
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<b>3.</b> Speaking of historic preservation, I also have to list the day I received a phone call from an <b>anonymous donor</b> who was eager to help us <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/index.php/press-room/recent-press-releases/280-mark-twain-museum-receives-anonymous-50k-donation" target="_blank">complete the Becky Thatcher House</a>. He said he was pleased with our efforts and wanted to help. Although I've never met this gentleman, I am forever grateful for the generous donation of <b>$50,000</b> and his vote of confidence. "The Becky" is nearly complete, and it will be a highlight of 2013 to reopen the home to visitors. Thank you to every <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/shop/donations.php" target="_blank">donor</a> who recognizes our important work here.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Af4tmelAEAk/UMF20GX1zHI/AAAAAAAAAHY/G8QSQf-lqsU/s1600/Becky+sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Af4tmelAEAk/UMF20GX1zHI/AAAAAAAAAHY/G8QSQf-lqsU/s320/Becky+sign.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Becky Thatcher House</td></tr>
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<b>4. </b>Special thanks to our new marketing director, Brenna McDermott, for spearheading many projects and events (in addition to writing dozens of press releases) such as <b>Missouri School Read-In Day</b>, a new <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/index.php/community-projects/missouri-read-in" target="_blank">initiative</a> enacted into law by the Missouri legislature. Representative Mike Kelley asked the museum to take the leadership role in this program that invites community leaders into classrooms to read aloud to children. The museum piloted the program this year and will be expanding it around the state in 2013.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NtRnucRMZIY/UMF5rKf_3NI/AAAAAAAAAHo/udF5-85Em9E/s1600/IMG_1217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NtRnucRMZIY/UMF5rKf_3NI/AAAAAAAAAHo/udF5-85Em9E/s320/IMG_1217.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reading Tom Sawyer?</td></tr>
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<b>5.</b> Another great event this year was a visit from our beloved <b>Hal Holbrook</b> who has been performing his breathtaking "Mark Twain Tonight!" since 1954. The purpose for <a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151333760580590.525855.97399285589&type=3" target="_blank">Hal's visit</a> was <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cindy-lovell/hal-holbrook-mark-twain_b_2053749.html" target="_blank">twofold</a>: he came to perform to a captivated crowd at Hannibal High School on November 17th, and the next day he received the "Mark Twain Lifetime Achievement Award" from the museum. The museum announced the establishment of the award this year during its centennial celebration. It will be presented every two years to someone whose life's work has significantly furthered Mark Twain's legacy. It is easy to understand why Hal Holbrook was the first ever recipient! The Wiegand Foundation presented the award, a bas relief of Twain writing in bed, inspired by Don Wiegand's portrait sculpture. Governor Jay Nixon even sent a special proclamation for the event that honored Hal as "an adopted son of Missouri."</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lquUCgbExYg/UMF83IcDaKI/AAAAAAAAAH4/DjDVyc2_tJQ/s1600/Hal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lquUCgbExYg/UMF83IcDaKI/AAAAAAAAAH4/DjDVyc2_tJQ/s320/Hal.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hal Holbrook Speaking at the Museum Gallery</td></tr>
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<b>6. </b>Pianist <b>Jacqueline Schwab</b>, whose talents can be heard in numerous Ken Burns documentaries, returned to the museum and performed on the Ossip Gabrilowitsch grand piano. Jacqueline performed from her vast repertoire of American music, delighting the audience with stories about the songs and composers throughout the performance.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KtPFJhXL_BQ/UMF_Nn3yLCI/AAAAAAAAAIA/rYIj4QaPQGU/s1600/Picture+10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KtPFJhXL_BQ/UMF_Nn3yLCI/AAAAAAAAAIA/rYIj4QaPQGU/s320/Picture+10.png" width="237" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacqueline Schwab</td></tr>
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<b>7. </b>Our <b>Mark Twain: Words & Music</b> <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/index.php/community-projects/mark-twain-cd" target="_blank">CD benefit</a> celebrated its one-year anniversary in September. The CD was named "the most downloaded Americana album of all time" by <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/index.php/press-room/recent-press-releases/272-mark-twain-is-the-most-downloaded-americana-album-on-airplay-direct" target="_blank">AirPlay Direct</a>, was aired in its entirety on "The Midnight Special" radio show, and landed two songs in the top ten on the <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/index.php/press-room/recent-press-releases/241-mark-twain-words-and-music-songs-top-charts" target="_blank">bluegrass charts</a>: "Run Mississippi" ranked #2 and "Comet Ride" ranked #7. Sales remain strong, and we even heard from a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cindy-lovell/mark-twain-words-music-a-_b_1576051.html" target="_blank">professor in Japan</a> who uses the CD as a text in his class. And speaking of class, I got to share teaching strategies with fellow educators at the University of Arkansas's <a href="http://cied.uark.edu/5674.htm" target="_blank">Literacy Symposium</a> for using the CD in the classroom to address the new Common Core Standards. I even got to present Garrison Keillor, Carl Jackson, Rhonda Vincent, and The Church Sisters with special frogs sculpted by Don Wiegand as thank you gifts for their work on the CD. And that's the short list!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s3qVGcFBhgU/UMGDTYxEO_I/AAAAAAAAAIQ/ajnefHc9E98/s1600/IMG_0252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-s3qVGcFBhgU/UMGDTYxEO_I/AAAAAAAAAIQ/ajnefHc9E98/s320/IMG_0252.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carl Jackson, Yours Truly, and Garrison Keillor<br />
on the stage at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FpuPoKGw-No/UMGDxadQk0I/AAAAAAAAAIY/EOCCstVWM_o/s1600/Carl,+Cindy,+Lethal,+Hands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FpuPoKGw-No/UMGDxadQk0I/AAAAAAAAAIY/EOCCstVWM_o/s320/Carl,+Cindy,+Lethal,+Hands.jpg" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carl Jackson, Cindy Lovell, Lethal Jackson<br />
at Wiegand Studio where Don Wiegand<br />
created a lifecast of Lethal's hands filing a<br />
banjo pick - like he did when Carl was just 5!<br />
Don also created a lifecast of Carl's hands playing<br />
the banjo - a Gibson Mastertone, of course!<br />
Don did all this to thank Carl for producing<br />
"Mark Twain: Words & Music."</td></tr>
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<b>8.</b> And the <b>AWARDS</b> go to... the museum, of course! The museum is frequently recognized for its accomplishments and contributions, and 2012 was no different. <i>True West</i> magazine (which my dad read when I was a kid), named the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum a <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/index.php/press-room/recent-press-releases/284-true-west-magazine-honors-mark-twain-boyhood-home-as-a-top-museum" target="_blank">Top Ten Western Museum</a>. Hannibal was a frontier town when Sam Clemens lived here, and that's part of our story told in our buildings and artifacts. The Division of Tourism surprised me with the <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/index.php/press-room/recent-press-releases/284-true-west-magazine-honors-mark-twain-boyhood-home-as-a-top-museum" target="_blank">Ambassador Award</a> at the Governor's Conference on Tourism. And the design work for our beautiful CD was recognized by the <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/index.php/press-room/recent-press-releases/269-iava-recognizes-mark-twain-cd-design" target="_blank">International Academy of the Visual Arts</a>. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oAnsh7IQM84/UMGGa2nqlKI/AAAAAAAAAIo/IdrhfkvIeAc/s1600/CD+award.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oAnsh7IQM84/UMGGa2nqlKI/AAAAAAAAAIo/IdrhfkvIeAc/s320/CD+award.jpg" width="177" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our thanks to Poole Communications for<br />
designing the award-winning CD cover and liner notes!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dj1w-HjGhEs/UMGGuMCrw7I/AAAAAAAAAIw/wlVqn0oZ_DM/s1600/Cindy+and+Nixon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dj1w-HjGhEs/UMGGuMCrw7I/AAAAAAAAAIw/wlVqn0oZ_DM/s320/Cindy+and+Nixon.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Governor Jay Nixon at the Conference</td></tr>
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<b>9. </b>In 2009 we were visited by Neal Moore, a CNN iReporter who was canoeing the length of the Mississippi River looking for <a href="http://flashriversafari.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">positive stories</a>, and in 2012 we <a href="http://www.moderndayhuck.com/" target="_blank">published</a> <b><i>Down the Mississippi: A Modern-day Huck on America's River Road</i></b>. Neal returned from the far side of the world to launch the book to an enthusiastic crowd. I was proud to be invited aboard the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Down-Mississippi-Modern-day-Americas-River/dp/0983716927/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354860776&sr=1-1&keywords=down+the+mississippi" target="_blank">project</a> by Neal whose journeys took him from Lake Itasca to New Orleans.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Down the Mississippi<br />
A Modern-day Huck on America's River Road</td></tr>
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<b>10.</b> Our first Becky Thatcher <b>Trivia Night Fundraiser</b> was such a success, we <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/index.php/press-room/archived-press-releases/294-mark-twain-museum-to-hold-second-trivia-night-fundraiser-oct-13" target="_blank">did it again</a> this year! Teams signed up to see who knew the most about the most insignificant knowledge while raising more than $4,000 for The Becky. There was also a silent auction and bake sale. We only had one category about Mark Twain. It was on <i>The Adventures of Tom Sawyer</i>, and the team that claimed the town's official couple (Brooke Burton and Lucas Cline) got every answer right!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Becky Thatcher House</td></tr>
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<b>11.</b> Although our museum focuses on the buildings important to Sam Clemens's legacy in Hannibal and Clemens family artifacts, we have a lovely art collection as well, including fifteen original Norman Rockwell paintings of Tom and Huck. This year we featured a <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/index.php/press-room/archived-press-releases/274-thomas-hart-benton-opening-and-talk" target="_blank">special exhibit</a> of <b>Thomas Hart Benton</b> originals, courtesy of the State Historical Society of Missouri. The works represented <i>The Adventures of Tom Sawyer</i>, <i>Adventures of Huckleberry Finn</i>, and <i>Life on the Mississippi</i>. </div>
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We also found a buried treasure - or hidden treasure, at least - in the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151072638985590.488863.97399285589&type=3" target="_blank">museum gallery</a> right under our noses! Artist and conservator Gordon Harris discovered that a frame believed to be plastic was actually hand-carved and gilded. He removed the plastic-looking paint with a dental tool and found a valuable antique under the surface. That's right... right under our noses. He happened to be examining the painting of Twain by Andrew Zylinski and noticed the slightest glint of gold in the frame, and there you have it!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Painting of Mark Twain by Andrew Zylinski</td></tr>
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<b>12.</b> Last but certainly not least is the <b>Mark Twain Commemorative Coin Act</b>. This <a href="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:h.r.2453:" target="_blank">legislation</a> was introduced last year by Missouri Representative Blaine Luetkemeyer. It passed in the House of Representatives in April and in the Senate in November. And as an early Christmas present, perhaps, President Barack Obama signed the bill into law on December 4, 2012. The coin bill, which was also championed by Missouri Senators Blunt and McCaskill, instructs the U.S. Mint to produce commemorative gold and silver coins in 2016. A surcharge on the coins will cover all costs, so taxpayers can breathe easy, and proceeds from the sales will be divided equally among the four main Twain sites: 1) The Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum; 2) The Mark Twain House & Museum in Hartford, CT; 3) The Center for Mark Twain Studies at Elmira College in Elmira, NY; and 4) The Mark Twain Papers and Project at the Bancroft Library at UC-Berekeley in Berkeley, CA. Each site can expect approximately $1.75 million from the surcharges collected as long as <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/shop/donations.php" target="_blank">matching funds</a> have been received. We are grateful to our colleagues at the other Twain sites for <a href="http://marktwaincoin.org/" target="_blank">working with us</a> for the bill's passage, and we are also grateful to our representatives who recognized the importance of this legislation for the museum. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EAQvy9XOVeU/UMGU2iuF1GI/AAAAAAAAAJk/6gyCeGHl_Uo/s1600/Don+Wiegand+Mark+Twain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="254" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EAQvy9XOVeU/UMGU2iuF1GI/AAAAAAAAAJk/6gyCeGHl_Uo/s320/Don+Wiegand+Mark+Twain.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sculptor Don Wiegand created this portrait sculpture of Twain writing in bed.<br />
It inspired the bas relief presented to Hal Holbrook for the Mark Twain Lifetime<br />
Achievement Award, and Wiegand has offered the image for use by the U.S. Mint<br />
when they manufacture the Mark Twain Commemorative Coins in 2016.</td></tr>
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There were many other notable moments this year, such as visits from <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/index.php/press-room/recent-press-releases/192-mark-twain-museum-announces-qan-evening-with-andy-borowitzq-april-3rd-2012" target="_blank">Andy Borowitz</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Loveliest-Home-That-Ever-Was/dp/0486486346/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354863208&sr=1-1&keywords=loveliest+home+that+ever+was" target="_blank">Steve Courtney</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Innocence-War-Mark-Twains-Revisited/dp/1908493011/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354863239&sr=1-2&keywords=strathcarron+twain" target="_blank">Ian Strathcarron</a> with their new books, an outstanding <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/index.php/community-projects/music-under-the-stars" target="_blank">Music Under the Stars</a> series that featured several performers from our <i>Mark Twain: Words & Music CD</i>, two week-long teacher workshops supported by the <b>Missouri Humanities Council</b>, several writers' workshops, ongoing <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/index.php/events-exhibits/performances" target="_blank">performances</a> by master storyteller Gladys Coggswell and Mark Twain performer Jim Waddell supported by the <b>Missouri Arts Council </b>and the <b>Missouri Division of Tourism</b>, the introduction of new technology using QR codes to enhance visitors' experiences supported by the <b>Riedel Foundation</b>, and even some cave exploration when things got too quiet, which wasn't often enough. But then, you can surely tell from this short list that it's rarely quiet at the museum</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Here's wishing everyone a great holiday and a bright 2013. And I'll see if I can remember to do this a little more often than once a year...</div>
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Cindy Lovell, Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102443084612342243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8164848494731035447.post-65363223063652457232011-10-31T20:39:00.002-05:002011-10-31T20:43:07.987-05:00Illinois Stories and the Bob Edwards ShowThe <i>Mark Twain: Words & Music</i> CD has been out a little more than a month now, and we are enjoying all of the phone calls, emails, and conversations about how much people are enjoying it. Yes, we're partial, so hearing your compliments is truly heartwarming.<br />
<br />
We've been gifted by two media events that have helped put the CD in front of folks. First of all, Mark McDonald from <i>Illinois Stories</i> arrived in Hannibal the day of the CD's release and interviewed Carl Jackson and Val Storey. Carl and Val performed five of the songs from the CD, and Mark filmed them for this broadcast on Illinois's PBS stations. We saw an immediate spike in sales.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/sdL9YsHj-pY?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;">Mark McDonald from <i>Illinois Stories</i> interviewed</div><div style="text-align: center;">Carl Jackson and Val Storey about <i>Mark Twain: Words & Music</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Last week, the <a href="http://www.bobedwardsradio.com/blog/2011/10/29/mark-twain-words-music.html" target="_blank"><i>Bob Edwards Show</i></a> aired an interview Bob conducted with yours truly (Cindy Lovell) about the CD. Bob allowed me to share some of the behind-the-scenes stories about the project, but best of all he included several excerpts from the CD, both spoken word and song. I'm glad he didn't ask me to name my favorite song, because that would not have been possible. I love them all. If you'd like to hear Bob's interview, here it is: <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/media/MTCD_Cindy1.mp3" target="_blank">Part 1</a> and <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/media/MTCD_Cindy2.mp3" target="_blank">Part 2</a>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Bob's audience is vast, and as the broadcast aired we saw our online sales begin to climb, both in our <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/shop/categories.php" target="_blank">online store</a> and on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mark-Twain-Words-Music-Various/dp/B005MR4P6Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320110383&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon</a>. Yes, we do make a better profit from our own online sales, but watching the sales rankings climb on Amazon was exciting. Yesterday we were ranked #1 in Bluegrass, #1 in Spoken Word, #6 in Country, #26 in Pop and #28 in Music overall. Such is the reach of Bob Edwards's audience. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iXgF_JIRfk0/Tq9K92H-olI/AAAAAAAAAG0/UFCf9OzdyeI/s1600/Picture+41.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="205" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iXgF_JIRfk0/Tq9K92H-olI/AAAAAAAAAG0/UFCf9OzdyeI/s320/Picture+41.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ranked #1 in Bluegrass Music sales on Amazon</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Tv-F51FwbaM/Tq9LOXQrHNI/AAAAAAAAAG8/z9mgR0p7mNo/s1600/Picture+54.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="120" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Tv-F51FwbaM/Tq9LOXQrHNI/AAAAAAAAAG8/z9mgR0p7mNo/s320/Picture+54.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching the sales rankings move up was exciting, especially <br />
when we made it into the category of Pop Music. Who knew?</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We are in the early days of CD sales, and our marketing budget is limited. We're hopeful that word of mouth and similar media coverage will help us share the project. <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/MarkTwainMusic" target="_blank">Twitter</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mark-Twain-Words-Music/155205404547516" target="_blank">Facebook</a> can only do so much. So, if you've heard the CD and like it, please let others know. And if you haven't heard it yet and are curious, Amazon has posted <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/recsradio/radio/B005MR4P6Q/ref=pd_krex_dp_a" target="_blank">clips from every track</a>. Each clip is 30 seconds in length. If you listen to them in order from the beginning, you'll have a pretty good idea of the story sequence.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Every little event excites and encourages us. Let us hear from you! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Cindy Lovell, Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102443084612342243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8164848494731035447.post-5124900849844114352011-10-19T12:10:00.001-05:002011-10-19T12:14:29.472-05:00The Big ReadOne of the greatest programs supported by the <a href="http://www.nea.gov/">National Endowment for the Arts</a> is <a href="http://www.neabigread.org/">The Big Read</a>. The Big Read is a community event during which people of all ages and backgrounds come together to read the same book. One of the titles on the list is my childhood favorite, <i>The Adventures of Tom Sawyer</i>, and I am constantly thrilled when I pick up the phone and hear from someone in another community announcing they have selected this book. I've given keynotes and teacher workshops in many Big Read communities, and I'm thrilled to make new friends everywhere I go and have them come visit me in Hannibal.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oIM3-0AqAmA/Tp7zrJCirHI/AAAAAAAAAFE/L30GA87uXbE/s1600/BigReadLogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oIM3-0AqAmA/Tp7zrJCirHI/AAAAAAAAAFE/L30GA87uXbE/s320/BigReadLogo.jpg" width="156" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Big Read is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Recently I had the privilege of visiting <a href="http://www.neabigread.org/communities/?community_id=1265">Irving, Texas</a> and <a href="http://klax-tv.com/?p=7808">Alexandria, Louisiana</a>, two communities that selected <i>Tom Sawyer</i>. Both communities planned family-friendly activities to involve everyone in reading, and I was thrilled to get to share the "real stories" behind the book - events, people, and places. That was the magic I discovered when I first visited Hannibal in 1996 - that there is very little "fiction" in <i>The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. </i><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iGfHmk0fYbk/Tp77L5ryhvI/AAAAAAAAAFM/x8cUmhuAhGU/s1600/DSCN9746.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iGfHmk0fYbk/Tp77L5ryhvI/AAAAAAAAAFM/x8cUmhuAhGU/s320/DSCN9746.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Jackson's Island" in the Mississippi River is where the boys ran off to play pirates.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vd4dVh3R2tE/Tp78gFeoCNI/AAAAAAAAAFU/Khetf1D-xQk/s1600/DSCN0176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vd4dVh3R2tE/Tp78gFeoCNI/AAAAAAAAAFU/Khetf1D-xQk/s320/DSCN0176.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mark Twain Cave is still open to the public, and if you're<br />
lucky you'll see the occasional local resident like this little fellow.<br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uarBcZlkNFg/Tp8ADO69uQI/AAAAAAAAAFc/OzHRYdmXsDA/s1600/BT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="194" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uarBcZlkNFg/Tp8ADO69uQI/AAAAAAAAAFc/OzHRYdmXsDA/s320/BT.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sam Clemens's childhood friend, Laura Hawkins, lived in this house,<br />
which is right across the street from his. She became the model for<br />
Becky Thatcher. The Museum is <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/shop/donations.php">accepting donations</a> to finish the<br />
restoration of this house and reopen it to the public in 2012 as a<br />
children's museum that tells the story of childhood in mid-1800s Hannibal.<br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kz6uO0YBusA/Tp8CCvKvKOI/AAAAAAAAAFk/lxS9s2ihABk/s1600/DSCN9758.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kz6uO0YBusA/Tp8CCvKvKOI/AAAAAAAAAFk/lxS9s2ihABk/s320/DSCN9758.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Injun Joe" was loosely based on Joe Douglass, a Hannibal resident<br />
whose physical characteristics frightened the local children.<br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a4VRH9Hb7Gg/Tp8CeSzHXSI/AAAAAAAAAFs/UbuO8rKNlnM/s1600/TomBecky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a4VRH9Hb7Gg/Tp8CeSzHXSI/AAAAAAAAAFs/UbuO8rKNlnM/s320/TomBecky.jpg" width="171" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In Hannibal today you will still encounter "Tom Sawyer"<br />
and "Becky Thatcher" strolling the streets.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>For anyone reading <i>The Adventures of Tom Sawyer</i> today, you can do no better than to visit Hannibal, Missouri, where the stories started. The Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum maintains nine historical properties, including the Boyhood Home of young Sam. You can come visit and see the very window where Sam would sneak out at night to go adventuring with his buddy, Tom Blankenship, who provided the model for Twain's beloved character, Huckleberry Finn. For parents, teachers, or anyone reading this book with children, if you can't make it to Hannibal, you can at least orient yourself using the <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/index.php/community-projects">virtual tours</a> created by the Mark Twain Young Authors. This will give you some background story on the real people, places, and events that appear in this wonderful book.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oRCBFF92joA/Tp8FBtinM8I/AAAAAAAAAF0/QUBJKCES7G8/s1600/boyhood+home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oRCBFF92joA/Tp8FBtinM8I/AAAAAAAAAF0/QUBJKCES7G8/s320/boyhood+home.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grab a brush and help whitewash the famous fence!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
My Big Read adventures have taken me from to Carmel, California to Enterprise, Oregon to Ashland, Kentucky and beyond, and I look forward to visiting more communities and telling folks about the true stories behind Twain's fiction. Listening to the songs and stories on <i><a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/shop/proddetail.php?prod=MarkTwainCD">Mark Twain: Words & Music</a> </i>is a great way to learn about Twain's life, and the virtual tours give a glimpse into our historical town, but the best way to experience the boyhood adventures of Sam Clemens is to visit Hannibal.<br />
<br />
Don't wait too long!Cindy Lovell, Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102443084612342243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8164848494731035447.post-89637665116529689992011-09-25T20:32:00.004-05:002011-10-19T10:54:10.816-05:00Mark Twain: Words & Music - The ReleaseEverything happened so fast, it was almost blurry. Think of it. Carl Jackson and I first spoke in 2007 about doing this project. (And remember, this was after having not seen or spoken to each other since the early 1970s.) After our reunion phone call when he agreed this all sounded like a splendid idea, we kept in touch by phone and email, and then I stopped in Nashville and had dinner with him on my way to Florida in December of, let's see... 2009? Must've been. Well, the hours we have logged on our iPhones, the emails that've flown across the World Wide Web, the hundreds of songs and words considered, the devilish details, the serendipitous surprises... it has all culminated in the actual release of <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/shop/proddetail.php?prod=MarkTwainCD">Mark Twain: Words & Music</a>.<br />
<br />
We had a release party. That is to say, Carl and Val Storey came to Hannibal to be on hand when the first CDs were sold at the stroke of midnight (Tom and Huck's famous hour), so we led up to the appointed time with a first rate party followed by Carl and Val singing songs from the CD. You're familiar with the line-up: Jimmy Buffett as Huck Finn, Garrison Keillor as the narrator, Clint Eastwood as Sam Clemens, & Angela Lovell as Susy Clemens. Then there are the singers... Emmylou Harris, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Rhonda Vincent, Bradley Walker, Carl Jackson, The Church Sisters, Sheryl Crow, Brad Paisley, Marty Raybon, Val Storey, Vince Gill, Joe Diffie, and Ricky Skaggs. The CD is released on the Mailboat Records label. It is produced, of course, by the one and only Carl Jackson.<br />
<br />
Now, let's go to the party...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q7B9Z4R_lhU/Tn_EnCaGu2I/AAAAAAAAAD0/SMHWxn10Eiw/s1600/108_1695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q7B9Z4R_lhU/Tn_EnCaGu2I/AAAAAAAAAD0/SMHWxn10Eiw/s320/108_1695.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Museum Gallery was decorated "just so"<br />
In hopes that all of our best friends would show</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dJiJbIIZ0Rg/Tn_E9g31SRI/AAAAAAAAAD4/cU8Vm1dQj_A/s1600/108_1701.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dJiJbIIZ0Rg/Tn_E9g31SRI/AAAAAAAAAD4/cU8Vm1dQj_A/s320/108_1701.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Megan and Beau brought wine from the Cave<br />
I sampled them all, now which is my fave?</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T7mtnUpMI24/Tn_FPPeMwpI/AAAAAAAAAD8/7wpJ5BxfHO4/s1600/108_1707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T7mtnUpMI24/Tn_FPPeMwpI/AAAAAAAAAD8/7wpJ5BxfHO4/s320/108_1707.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chocolaterie Stam donated mouthwatering chocolate<br />
I'll have to confess to stashing some in my pocket</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WODnFr1mz6o/Tn_GHOJXJII/AAAAAAAAAEE/Dlc4ZtrOC3Y/s1600/108_1712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WODnFr1mz6o/Tn_GHOJXJII/AAAAAAAAAEE/Dlc4ZtrOC3Y/s320/108_1712.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The downstairs was ready for what would come later<br />
Upstairs there was food that LulaBelle's catered</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V1F6pE-0KpA/Tn_GWRNAyaI/AAAAAAAAAEI/XYr49jArhAk/s1600/108_1716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V1F6pE-0KpA/Tn_GWRNAyaI/AAAAAAAAAEI/XYr49jArhAk/s320/108_1716.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Rockwell Gallery was full of folks<br />
Sharing good time, laughter, and lots of good jokes</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-89gaV_PlZeY/Tn_G3GTKlBI/AAAAAAAAAEM/vqXA50Pq-2w/s1600/108_1720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-89gaV_PlZeY/Tn_G3GTKlBI/AAAAAAAAAEM/vqXA50Pq-2w/s320/108_1720.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With LulaBelle's catering, the food was superb<br />
Most everyone made it, but we sure missed you, Herb!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6QgtOl2aEPw/Tn_HjWk-n6I/AAAAAAAAAEQ/t9aA7v3J9mw/s1600/108_1721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6QgtOl2aEPw/Tn_HjWk-n6I/AAAAAAAAAEQ/t9aA7v3J9mw/s320/108_1721.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Journalism students and prof spoke with Michael<br />
Their <a href="http://travelingwithtwain.org/2011/09/22/hannibal-mo/an-evening-of-twain-inspired-bluegrass/#comment-30">blog</a> is the best, glad we got into their cycle</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F2pF6Bk27ow/Tn_IKIbH2OI/AAAAAAAAAEU/8JC8lagBPoU/s1600/108_1725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F2pF6Bk27ow/Tn_IKIbH2OI/AAAAAAAAAEU/8JC8lagBPoU/s320/108_1725.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Danny and Emily co-wrote "Huck Finn Blues"<br />
Brad Paisley recorded, now THAT is good news!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LL_p-0UE3Zg/Tn_IvqPvWUI/AAAAAAAAAEY/cSDqm7LW3yQ/s1600/108_1726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LL_p-0UE3Zg/Tn_IvqPvWUI/AAAAAAAAAEY/cSDqm7LW3yQ/s320/108_1726.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's Micki and Michael and Carl and Ryan<br />
I can't remember all names - I swear I am tryin'!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-teNbOijjVXA/Tn_KhPr3oKI/AAAAAAAAAEc/cux5Wh_BrBI/s1600/108_1730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-teNbOijjVXA/Tn_KhPr3oKI/AAAAAAAAAEc/cux5Wh_BrBI/s320/108_1730.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Val and Nancy catching up with a chat<br />
Mixing and mingling, you just can't beat that!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VcDd1a4dkmU/Tn_LuLFiy7I/AAAAAAAAAEg/LQUE91A6Dlc/s1600/108_1734.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VcDd1a4dkmU/Tn_LuLFiy7I/AAAAAAAAAEg/LQUE91A6Dlc/s320/108_1734.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gregg and Vikki check out the exhibit<br />
That describes the CD and tells how we did it</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PyuLDkry4bM/Tn_MdQotDKI/AAAAAAAAAEk/BQKgg1XZ5YU/s1600/108_1735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PyuLDkry4bM/Tn_MdQotDKI/AAAAAAAAAEk/BQKgg1XZ5YU/s320/108_1735.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everyone's laughing and giggling and grinning<br />
I guess you could say we were all just "Huck Finning"</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1NjUtmgc3tA/Tn_NarZYdLI/AAAAAAAAAEo/2R5ZMJfYqkQ/s1600/108_1738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1NjUtmgc3tA/Tn_NarZYdLI/AAAAAAAAAEo/2R5ZMJfYqkQ/s320/108_1738.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">While the party continued the stars sneaked downstairs<br />
To warm up their voices for a few empty chairs</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LS5BQe98j_0/Tn_OBe9ZyTI/AAAAAAAAAEs/K4W7ZtX7q1E/s1600/108_1743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LS5BQe98j_0/Tn_OBe9ZyTI/AAAAAAAAAEs/K4W7ZtX7q1E/s320/108_1743.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We've heard of air guitar, but never wine<br />
Henry's tuned and he's ready to have a great time</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1NCxfmiidDc/Tn_OXce5gCI/AAAAAAAAAEw/5xbupu2e4Pw/s1600/108_1744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1NCxfmiidDc/Tn_OXce5gCI/AAAAAAAAAEw/5xbupu2e4Pw/s320/108_1744.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally it's time for music and more<br />
Of our beloved Sam Clemens, there's so much in store</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GOax0L_1DeE/Tn_P4cgyhsI/AAAAAAAAAE0/6JNPfMfBvVc/s1600/108_1749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GOax0L_1DeE/Tn_P4cgyhsI/AAAAAAAAAE0/6JNPfMfBvVc/s320/108_1749.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kristy is mesmerized, Dena is smiling<br />
This musical evening is truly beguiling</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Vx-Ar5a2TP0/Tn_Qbfob0KI/AAAAAAAAAE4/xkp-NkgpctM/s1600/108_1750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Vx-Ar5a2TP0/Tn_Qbfob0KI/AAAAAAAAAE4/xkp-NkgpctM/s320/108_1750.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fans were nestled all snug in their seats<br />
While Carl and Val did not miss a beat</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0q9q3nL3ZJc/Tn_Q-QyN39I/AAAAAAAAAE8/CvY1O9_ECu8/s1600/carl+and+val.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0q9q3nL3ZJc/Tn_Q-QyN39I/AAAAAAAAAE8/CvY1O9_ECu8/s320/carl+and+val.jpg" width="272" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carl played lead, he and Val took turns singing<br />
That sweet Martin guitar, like a bell it was ringing</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x7QdukoNu90/Tn_RPJoKtaI/AAAAAAAAAFA/dRuiOc49s8A/s1600/crowd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x7QdukoNu90/Tn_RPJoKtaI/AAAAAAAAAFA/dRuiOc49s8A/s320/crowd.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the show folks waited in line<br />
To buy their CDs, then have Val and Carl sign</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Okay, so the captions aren't award-winners, but you get the idea. I mainly wanted to share pictures for those who couldn't be here. Now, aren't you sorry you didn't come? A highlight of the evening came when Carl got ready to sing "Indian Crow," a song he co-wrote with Jerry Salley. The song calls for a respectable dobro, and boy, did we get lucky. Rusty Young (of Poco fame) and his lovely wife, Mary, had come to the party, and with no warning, planning, or rehearsing, Carl called upon Randy to come up and help play the song. Breathtaking. (Rusty, we gotta book you for Music Under the Stars somehow!)<br />
<br />
We really did have an amazing time, and now the fun will be watching how it sells and hearing how folks like it. We've already had many letters, emails, and phone calls with lots of folks re-ordering after they've played theirs. Looks like Santa Claus might need to stock up. Remember, this is a benefit for the Museum, and the artists donated their time and talent to this project to help our cause - caring for 9 historic properties. Please help us get the word out. The Associated Press ran a <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/2011/09/24/3164041/clint-eastwood-jimmy-buffett-among.html">great article</a> yesterday that seems to have generated a lot of interest. I peeked at the Amazon rankings earlier this evening, and the CD was ranked #46 in Country Music and #2 in Bluegrass. Kind of amazing considering we've done no advertising. But then, the whole thing's been kind of amazing.<br />
<br />
Thank you to all who believed in this project.Cindy Lovell, Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102443084612342243noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8164848494731035447.post-67868019240049237492011-09-05T19:26:00.000-05:002011-09-05T20:38:41.987-05:00Mark Twain: Words & Music CD ReleaseJust when I think my week can't get any better (I "work" at the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum, after all), a small package arrives that sends everyone into a tizzy. The small package that arrived this past Tuesday contained a precious handful of our new CDs - <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/index.php/community-projects/mark-twain-cd">Mark Twain: Words & Music</a>. Now, this has been a work in progress since the idea began in 2005, so to hold an actual CD in my hand after all this time - well, let's just say I'm not over it yet.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_383881179"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TehDyx_n2bA/TmVdH0EPWDI/AAAAAAAAADU/pY2o3uj1XTQ/s320/CD1.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first peek at the finished product!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
What is this CD project, and why all the fuss? The <b>quick</b> answer is: This double-CD with a 40-page booklet of liner notes tells Mark Twain's life in spoken word in song. The <b>glitzy</b> answer is: This CD features Jimmy Buffett (as Huck Finn), Garrison Keillor (as narrator), Clint Eastwood (as Mark Twain), Angela Lovell (yes, MY Angela Lovell as Susy Clemens) and songs by: Emmylou Harris, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Rhonda Vincent, Bradley Walker, Carl Jackson, The Church Sisters, Sheryl Crow, Brad Paisley, Marty Raybon, Val Storey, Vince Gill, Joe Diffie, and Ricky Skaggs. The most <b>important</b> answer is: This CD is a labor of love that will generate much needed revenue for the <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/">Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum</a>.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g-EmSWy_woo/TmVd1GOpLAI/AAAAAAAAADY/kkQoQkc756U/s1600/CD2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g-EmSWy_woo/TmVd1GOpLAI/AAAAAAAAADY/kkQoQkc756U/s320/CD2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A double-CD with a 40-page booklet of liner notes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Back in 2005 I was trying to come up with a creative project for 2010, also known as "The Year of Mark Twain" because of the confluence of three important anniversaries: the 100th anniversary of his death, the 175th anniversary of his birth, and the 125th anniversary of the American publication of <i>Adventures of Huckleberry Finn</i>. For two years my favorite CD had been <i>Livin', Lovin', Losin' - Songs of the Louvin Brothers</i>, which won two Grammys in 2004 and was produced by Carl Jackson, a childhood friend I hadn't seen in more than 30 years. I met Carl when he played banjo for Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys, a top notch bluegrass band. Carl was 14, I was 12, and we became friends and pen pals.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gqrTnTq0dis/TmVfbPMNklI/AAAAAAAAADc/RzXmnJxnS5c/s1600/58.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="310" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gqrTnTq0dis/TmVfbPMNklI/AAAAAAAAADc/RzXmnJxnS5c/s320/58.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carl Jackson playing banjo with Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Carl left Jim & Jesse and played several years with Glen Campbell. He later toured with Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Vince Gill, and Ricky Skaggs. Being raised on bluegrass music, I kept up with Carl's music even though we lost touch. On the <i>Louvin</i> project, which won the Grammy for Best Country Album, Carl had paired the perfect voices to recreate some of the Louvin Brothers' greatest songs. Adding to the magic of the album was the inclusion of archival audio footage of Ira and Charlie Louvin onstage, talking to the audience, introducing each other, and talking about their songs. I loved the way the songs blended with the chatter. The idea for a spoken word/song compilation CD about Mark Twain's life felt like the perfect way to honor Twain's legacy in 2010.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rljA6fkyitw/TmVhfupweoI/AAAAAAAAADg/V3jz4IQVXDU/s1600/139665%253Bencoding%253Djpg%253Bsize%253D300.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rljA6fkyitw/TmVhfupweoI/AAAAAAAAADg/V3jz4IQVXDU/s1600/139665%253Bencoding%253Djpg%253Bsize%253D300.jpeg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Livin', Lovin', Losin' - Songs of the Louvin Brothers</i><br />
The <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Livin-Lovin-Losin-Louvin-Brothers/dp/B0000CD5JG">CD</a> that started it all... produced by Carl Jackson</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Although I hadn't spoken to Carl in more than three decades, I got his number from a mutual friend. I called, he answered, and six years later, here we are - with real CDs on hand. I have to say that I was thrilled for two reasons when Carl answered that call: 1) he remembered me; and 2) he said he liked the idea and would do it. Now, if Carl Jackson is not a household name in your family, it's because Carl does not do any self-promotion. But he is, without a doubt, the best acoustic producer in Nashville (which also means in the entire <i>country</i>). <br />
<br />
I set to work writing the script, listening to songs, and planning the sequence. Carl also set to work, reviewing everything I sent him, doing a lot of listening on his own, and contacting friends to write songs, play, and sing on the CD. (And yes, Carl wrote new songs especially for the CD.) Carl and his friends generously and graciously donated their immense talent to this project. <br />
<br />
And speaking of generous folks, a handful of unsung heroes (The Hutchison Brothers: Herb, Bob, and Tom; Keith and Heather Harned; Joan and Bruce Coffey, Cheryl Amman, Mina Brown, Jimmy O'Donnell, the Riedel Foundation, and the Hannibal Convention and Visitors Bureau) stepped up to the plate and wrote checks to cover the costs of making a CD - everything from studio time to legal fees.<br />
<br />
Oh, and then there's the lovely <a href="http://www.poolecommunication.com/">Sally Poole</a> and her excellent staff (I'm talking about <i>you</i>, Sheena Kendrick) who took all the words and images we provided and created a work of art in the design of the CD. Yes, this CD was a team effort - TEAM TWAIN.<br />
<br />
And now we are about to unveil this amazing project with a heart full of gratitude and hope...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IsDt-YwJahg/TmVjY2ntpUI/AAAAAAAAADk/IODmGHg7Cy8/s1600/Twain+CD+Disc+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IsDt-YwJahg/TmVjY2ntpUI/AAAAAAAAADk/IODmGHg7Cy8/s320/Twain+CD+Disc+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">14 story segments + 13 songs = 1 life story of Mark Twain<br />
(Or, you could rewrite this as 2 CDs + 40 pages of liner notes = 1 unique project)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vHuHoS3ZoiE/TmVjtl3FSzI/AAAAAAAAADo/5Gr0QKNIGqE/s1600/Twain+CD+Disc+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vHuHoS3ZoiE/TmVjtl3FSzI/AAAAAAAAADo/5Gr0QKNIGqE/s320/Twain+CD+Disc+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br />
The CD will be released September 21, 2011. In fact, we're so excited, we're <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/index.php/events-exhibits/icalrepeat.detail/2011/09/20/1447/-/cd-release-party">having a party</a> on the evening of Sept. 20th! (Tickets are only $25! Call 573-221-9010, ext. 404 to order yours!) Carl will be there along with other special guests, and at Tom and Huck's favorite hour - MIDNIGHT! - we'll begin selling the long awaited CDs! For folks who can't make it to the party, it's easy to <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/shop/proddetail.php?prod=MarkTwainCD">pre-order</a> this beautiful, historic project from the Museum's online store. Priced at only <b><a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/shop/proddetail.php?prod=MarkTwainCD">$18.95</a></b>, your holiday shopping could not be easier this year! The CD has something for everyone: history, literature, American roots music, some of your favorite stars, and some brand new stars. And remember, you're not just getting the <b>best road trip CD ever created</b>, you're helping to preserve the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum properties in Hannibal. Who ever knew that doing a good deed could have such a great payoff?</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-doCSZngfsvI/TmVmDn188jI/AAAAAAAAADs/CJeqxXNiapU/s1600/CD+cover+final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-doCSZngfsvI/TmVmDn188jI/AAAAAAAAADs/CJeqxXNiapU/s320/CD+cover+final.jpg" width="315" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Like" the CD on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mark-Twain-Words-Music/155205404547516?ref=ts">Facebook</a> and tell your friends about it!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
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<div>
P.S. Carl and I dedicated the CD to our parents and to my 4th grade teacher, <b>Mr. Ronald E. Riese</b>. Mr. Riese introduced me to Mark Twain a long time ago at <a href="http://www.wssd.k12.pa.us/newberry.cfm">Newberry Elementary</a>. It just goes to show you how much impact teachers have on their students. Thank you, Mr. Riese! (And thank you, Carl, for making my dream come true!)</div>
Cindy Lovell, Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102443084612342243noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8164848494731035447.post-12171775184922906002011-08-17T13:54:00.017-05:002011-08-17T22:43:37.918-05:00Mark Twain's Hannibal: The Clemens Conference<b>A MAGICAL WEEK<br />
</b><br />
Last week (August 10-14) we launched our first scholarly <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/index.php/conference">conference</a> here in Hannibal, the Clemens Conference. As Calvin and Hobbes might say, the days were just packed. Everything about those days felt magical, starting with the weather. After the three-digit temperature heat wave we'd been experiencing, Mother Nature generously delivered perfect blue skies, cumulus clouds, temps in the low 80s during the day and high 60s at night, and the very breeze immortalized by poets. Luck was upon us, and everything else fell into line.<br />
<br />
Henry Sweets offered a tour of Hannibal for early arrivals (and repeated the tour Sunday morning for those who missed the first one). Several carloads of folks took him up on his offer and formed a caravan touring Hannibal's historic and notable sites, such as Riverview Park, Lover's Leap, and Mt. Olivet Cemetery.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/media/grave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/media/grave.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.kankanbou.com/usa/?catid=2&blogid=1">Shoichi Nasu</a>, Barb Snedecor, and John Pascal read the <br />
tombstone of John Marshall Clemens, Sam's father</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">More scholars arrived Wednesday evening, as did <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/index.php/events-exhibits/icalrepeat.detail/2011/08/11/1445/-/carl-jackson-larry-cordle-a-jerry-salley">Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle, and Jerry Salley</a> - our very special performers for last week's <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/index.php/community-projects/music-under-the-stars">Music Under the Stars</a> concert. We all met up that evening at the Museum Gallery for a wine reception and tour. Tom and Becky stopped in to perform their engagement scene, and the mood for magic was set.</div><br />
The conference kicked off officially on Thursday morning. Twain scholars, seasoned and new, presented on a wide range of topics. Conversation was lively, and camaraderie seemed to be the word of the day. Longtime scholars were extremely supportive with those breaking fresh ground on Clemens.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/media/zehr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="187" src="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/media/zehr.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr. Martin Zehr presents on Hannibal's influence upon young Sam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>At last Dr. Barbara Snedecor, Director of the <a href="http://www.elmira.edu/academics/distinctive_programs/twain_center">Center for Mark Twain Studies</a> at Elmira College, delivered her keynote on Livy. Most folks know that Olivia Langdon Clemens never accompanied her famous husband to his hometown on the three trips he made here after they were wed, so in many ways this felt as though Livy had finally made it to Hannibal. Barb's talk focused on a collection of letters written by Livy, offering new insight into this genteel, educated woman whom Sam Clemens adored.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/media/Barb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/media/Barb.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Later in the week, Dr. Barbara Snedecor found work <br />
as a cub pilot on the Mark Twain Riverboat<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">After a full day of excellent papers topped off with Barb's engaging talk, scholars moseyed downtown to enjoy Music Under the Stars, the Museum's signature summer program held every Thursday night in front of Sam's boyhood home. We enjoyed a rare treat with local singer/songwriter Murray McFarlane and T.C. Pierceall opening for <a href="http://carljackson.net/">Carl</a>, <a href="http://www.jerrysalley.com/index_wpx.html?vP=x&vDP=n&vDS=n&vCat=home&vT=Text">Jerry</a>, and <a href="http://www.larrycordle.com/">Larry</a>. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q-say5IhcUM/TkwyqeqtRMI/AAAAAAAAADI/VBNE47x4F8w/s1600/Murray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Q-say5IhcUM/TkwyqeqtRMI/AAAAAAAAADI/VBNE47x4F8w/s320/Murray.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Murray McFarlane and T.C. Pierceall warm up the crowd</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A record crowd packed the mall area in front of the Boyhood Home, and the crowd soon learned this was to be no ordinary evening. After a flawless performance by Murray and T.C., the veteran songwriters took the stage and surprised the audience by playing ONLY their original compositions - many of them Number 1 hits. After a while Carl began talking about our new CD project, <i><a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/index.php/community-projects/mark-twain-cd">Mark Twain: Words & Music</a></i>, and the audience went wild as the trio played several selections, including "Huck Finn Blues," which Carl co-wrote with conference participants Danny Wilson and Emily Hayes. (Brad Paisley recorded the song for the CD.) And just when we thought it couldn't get any better, Carl sang "Comet Ride," a song he penned that tells the story of Sam Clemens coming into the world and later going out with Halley's Comet. No one seemed surprised when not one, but TWO, shooting stars fell from the sky behind the stage area, wowing the crowd with their uncanny timing. Yes, it was magical.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tQTrXOe5Kbg/Tkwy_vy8omI/AAAAAAAAADM/1xyJ10FB4HE/s1600/mutscarl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tQTrXOe5Kbg/Tkwy_vy8omI/AAAAAAAAADM/1xyJ10FB4HE/s320/mutscarl.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle, and Jerry Salley<br />
"Music Under the Stars" Nashville-style</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XZUe3TzeHJc/Tkw0HTeS5cI/AAAAAAAAADQ/S3JABCGO_hw/s1600/stars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XZUe3TzeHJc/Tkw0HTeS5cI/AAAAAAAAADQ/S3JABCGO_hw/s320/stars.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">A happy crowd in front of Sam's home</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The trio from Nashville did not take a break and played an extra half hour. The crowd didn't budge and would likely still be there if the music had continued. After these first rate musicians packed up their instruments, they were still in the mood to play. We grabbed folks who were handy and made our way to the auditorium of the Museum Gallery. The jam session lasted until nearly 2:00 a.m. I even recorded Carl, Larry, and Jerry singing "Happy Birthday" for my sister, Becky, who lives in England. (Thanks, guys! She loved it!)</span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/media/jam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/media/jam.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Henry Sweets IV, Larry Cordle, and Carl Jackson jamming</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The conference continued on Friday with excellent sessions. Henry had planned a trip out to Sam's birthplace in Florida, Missouri that included a special side trip to Quarles Farm, the site where young Sam listened to stories told by Uncle Dan'l, an enslaved man owned by Uncle John Quarles. Like Hannibal, this is hallowed ground to all who love Mark Twain.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><i>We had a faithful and affectionate good friend, ally and adviser in “Uncle Dan’l”, a middle-aged slave whose head was the best one in the negro quarter, whose sympathies were wide and warm and whose heart was honest and simple and knew no guile... I have not seen him for more than half a century and yet spiritually I have had his welcome company a good part of that time and have staged him in books under his own name and as “Jim”, and carted him all around—to Hannibal, down the Mississippi on a raft and even across the Desert of Sahara in a balloon—and he has endured it all with the friendliness and loyalty which were his birthright.</i></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/media/dig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/media/dig.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owner of the site, Karen Hunt (far right) explains the archaeological<br />
dig to Twain scholars. Karen is rebuilding the Quarles' farmhouse. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>Friday also included performances by award-winning author and storyteller Gladys Coggswell and Twain impersonator Jim Waddell. Gladys performed <i>A True Story, Repeated Word for Word as I Heard It</i>, and Jim shared Civil War recollections. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OcJCeSDXj9U/TkwF3QmZN_I/AAAAAAAAADA/PSg5l1joZMU/s1600/Gladys+boys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OcJCeSDXj9U/TkwF3QmZN_I/AAAAAAAAADA/PSg5l1joZMU/s320/Gladys+boys.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jerry Salley, Gladys Coggswell, and Carl Jackson<br />
Glady performed as "Aunt Rachel" (Mary Ann Cord)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>After a full day of scholarship, everyone was ready for some fun.<br />
<br />
<i>By-and-by someone shouted:</i><br />
<i><br />
"Who's ready for the cave?"</i><br />
<i><br />
Everybody was. Bundles of candles were procured, and straightway there was a general scamper up the hill. The mouth of the cave was up the hillside--an opening shaped like a letter A. Its massive oaken door stood unbarred. Within was a small chamber, chilly as an ice-house, and walled by Nature with solid limestone that was dewy with a cold sweat. It was romantic and mysterious to stand here in the deep gloom and look out upon the green valley shining in the sun.</i><br />
<br />
Everyone <i>was</i> ready for the cave. <a href="http://www.marktwaincave.com/">Mark Twain Cave</a> owner Linda Coleberd and manager Beau Hicks split the group in two and guided us on a custom-made tour from a Clemens perspective. Pat Ober has been researching Dr. McDowell's story and was elated to find himself in the actual chamber where the good doctor conducted his experiments. (True story: McDowell suspended his deceased 14-year old daughter in an alcohol solution in a copper and glass cylinder in the cave. Creepy!) Scholars ooohed and aaahed and kept an eye out for young Sam's autograph, which to this day still hasn't been located. Talk about an enchanted evening. <i>Church ain't shucks to a circus</i>, and ballroom dancing ain't shucks to cave exploration.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vKXW16yUlns/TkvwHiRUGdI/AAAAAAAAACs/DADSt6gSkSY/s1600/cave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vKXW16yUlns/TkvwHiRUGdI/AAAAAAAAACs/DADSt6gSkSY/s320/cave.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Does anyone have a piece of kite string?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>After the cave most everyone was ready to get some rest, but it turns out Jerry Salley had located some Hank Williams 78s that day and was itching to hear them. After a late night jamming the night before, it seemed fitting to sit up late and play the old classics. A houseful of friends - all we could gather on short notice - made their way up the hill to my place. We cranked the old Victrola and listened to Hank sing "Jambalaya" and other favorites. I pulled out a few of my favorites, too. (Confession: We listened to Gene Autry sing "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer" and found ourselves in the Christmas spirit.) We were having too much fun to concern ourselves with the lateness of the hour.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LGYRRjW67pc/Tkvw-jLUJaI/AAAAAAAAACw/9yD8D_bNBt0/s1600/party.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LGYRRjW67pc/Tkvw-jLUJaI/AAAAAAAAACw/9yD8D_bNBt0/s320/party.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carl, Jerry, Cindy, and Larry</td></tr>
</tbody></table><i>"SATURDAY morning was come, and all the summer world was bright and fresh, and brimming with life. There was a song in every heart, and if the heart was young the music issued at the lips. There was cheer in every face and a spring in every step. The locust-trees were in bloom and the fragrance of the blossoms filled the air. Cardiff Hill, beyond the village and above it, was green with vegetation and it lay just far enough away to seem a Delectable Land, dreamy, reposeful, and inviting."</i><br />
<br />
Saturday was the last official day of the conference, and the beautiful weather stayed with us. Our venue was <a href="http://www.hlg.edu/index.php">Hannibal-LaGrange University</a>, and we heard many compliments about the campus as well as the dorms where most folks were staying. Scholars shared more papers, and we heard from Scott Teems and Laura Smith (director and producer) about their new project, a feature length documentary titled, "Holbrook/Twain: An American Odyssey." Scott and Laura interviewed several Twain scholars during the conference and shot footage of Sam Clemens's Hannibal. We missed Hal, but Scott and Laura did a great job telling us about the progress of the documentary. We also heard from Dr. Robert Hirst, General Editor and Official Curator of the <a href="http://www.marktwainproject.org/">Mark Twain Project and Papers</a>, University of California, Berkeley. Bob shared reminisces of his 44 years at the Project and talked about the upcoming volume 2 of the autobiography.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-newe0v1cdZ4/Tkv1X6urUkI/AAAAAAAAAC0/jbGVI-S2Ebs/s1600/hirst.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-newe0v1cdZ4/Tkv1X6urUkI/AAAAAAAAAC0/jbGVI-S2Ebs/s320/hirst.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr. Robert Hirst shares his unique perspective and insights</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Bob's keynote closed out the conference, but we still had to have our dinner, and where better than aboard the <a href="http://www.marktwainriverboat.com/">Mark Twain Riverboat</a> on the Mississippi River. Captain Steve Terry indulged the scholars, letting them have a turn at the wheel.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><i>The pilot-house was full of pilots, going down to 'look at the river.'</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We cruised upon the muddy brown water, laughing, swapping yarns, Kodak'ing each other, and having a general good time.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xebNntE3Yx0/Tkv_yv3iw0I/AAAAAAAAAC4/mL_do23tGs0/s1600/patti.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xebNntE3Yx0/Tkv_yv3iw0I/AAAAAAAAAC4/mL_do23tGs0/s320/patti.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patti Philippon, curator at the <a href="http://marktwainhouse.org/">Mark Twain House</a> in Hartford, Connecticut,<br />
contemplates a career on the river. (Mallory Howard, can you learn Patti the river?)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">After a great meal and much too short cruise (was it <i>really</i> two hours?), happy passengers disembarked, some traipsing to Kerley's in the hopes John Bird (a regular there now) would play his mandolin, others sauntering Main Street toward the Boyhood Home for one last glimpse by moonlight. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The full moon was riding high in the cloudless heavens, now.</i></div><div><i><br />
</i></div><div>Although we had neglected to check the calendar, Luck was still with us and had fetched us a full moon for that lovely ride on the riverboat. And while some folks made their way back to their college dorm rooms for one last night, we are pretty confident that a few others straggled out to the graveyard, possibly with Tom and Huck and a dead cat in tow. (Rumor has it that warts aren't a problem in Hannibal.)</div><div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dOjFihIyLjo/TkwCJ7LEn7I/AAAAAAAAAC8/gsoP5lJMv-g/s1600/moon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dOjFihIyLjo/TkwCJ7LEn7I/AAAAAAAAAC8/gsoP5lJMv-g/s320/moon.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A full moon lit the Mississippi River and Hannibal-town<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i><br />
Two or three minutes later the murdered man, the blanketed corpse, the lidless coffin, and the open grave were under no inspection but the moon's. The stillness was complete again, too.</i></span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>Sunday morning brought the sadness of goodbyes with promises of "See you soon!" Scott Teems and Laura Smith stuck around with their crew to get some more footage for their documentary. Pam and Mike Ginsberg (owners of <a href="http://www.lulabelles.com/">LulaBelle's</a>) volunteered their pontoon boat and took the crew to Jackson's Island and other spots on the river. We can't wait for the film to come out (probably 2013 - let's hope for a screening at the Elmira conference) to see how much Hannibal footage makes it into the final cut.</div><div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cu3G6aSRa94/TkwMl4cnptI/AAAAAAAAADE/p8TPQUqUgnQ/s1600/film+crew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cu3G6aSRa94/TkwMl4cnptI/AAAAAAAAADE/p8TPQUqUgnQ/s320/film+crew.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scott, Julien, Daniel, and Laura aboard the Ginsbergs' pontoon boat</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div>We look forward to seeing all of the Twain scholars in Elmira in 2013 and back in Hannibal in 2015. (But we'll certainly welcome you if you can come before that!)</div><div><br />
</div><div><i>So endeth this chronicle. It being strictly a history of a </i>conference<i>, it must stop here...</i></div><div><br />
</div><div>A conference is only as good as its scholarship. We are deeply gratified that so many excellent papers were submitted. Special thanks to these Twain scholars for their fine presentations: Jeffrey Melton, Matthew Vercollone, John Bird, K. Patrick Ober, Martin Zehr, Dustin Zima, Barbara Snedecor, Debra Cochran, Nathaniel Williams, Ashley Ortiz, Ryo Waguri, Tim Jon Semmerling, Jenny A. Bucksbarg, John H. Davis, Debra MacComb, Jarrod Roark, James Wharton Leonard, John R. Pascal, Kotaro Nakagaki, Mark Valentine, and Robert Hirst.<br />
<br />
Additional thanks to Kent Rasmussen for letting us read his upcoming book: <i>Dear Mark Twain: Letters from His Readers. </i>We are still laughing.<br />
<br />
Thanks for support from: Hannibal-LaGrange University, Linda Coleberd, the Mark Twain Cave, John Ravenscraft, the Hannibal Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Hannibal Arts Council, and Karen Hunt.<br />
<br />
Final thanks to the behind-the-scenes folks who made this happen: Henry H. Sweets III, Ryan Murray, Mai Conrad, Dena Ellis, Nathan Hammock (at HLGU), Emily Hayes, and Danny Wilson.</div><div></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Cindy Lovell, Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102443084612342243noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8164848494731035447.post-21300036301676362012011-08-01T10:53:00.006-05:002011-10-31T20:54:13.816-05:00Andy Borowitz (hearts) Mark Twain!Like everyone else, I don't have time to visit everyone's Facebook page to see what they're up to, so I peruse the News Feed and click the "Like" button every so often. And then there are times when I read something that makes me sit up and take notice. On Saturday afternoon, I noticed that one of my favorite writers and tweeters, Andy Borowitz, had created a Facebook page for his new book, <i><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-50-Funniest-American-Writers/179365198798124?sk=wall">The 50 Funniest American Writers</a></i>, published by Library of America.<br />
<br />
I checked it out and noticed that Mark Twain is listed. (Of course, he's listed, but still...!) The first thing I did was comment, suggesting Andy visit the Mark Twain Museum and do a book signing. Well, the planets must be lining up, or maybe there's a comet running interference, but the big news is: Andy's coming to Hannibal! Now, before you reach for your credit card and book a flight to St. Louis, let me just say that it won't be until spring, and we haven't set a date yet. The book is scheduled to be released Oct. 13, 2011, and Andy will likely be a very busy guy touring and signing. He's offered to speak at the Museum and do a book signing, and as we arrange the details we'll be getting the word out.<br />
<br />
Andy has been a favorite of mine for many years. His "Shouts and Murmurs" essays in <i><a href="http://www.newyorker.com/">The New Yorker</a> </i>always make me laugh out loud, even on the second and third reading. And the <a href="http://www.borowitzreport.com/">Borowitz Report</a> would no doubt tickle Twain. We're eager for the new book, which will include several of my favorite funny guys and gals, such as David Sedaris, Dorothy Parker, and <a href="http://www.theonion.com/"><i>The Onion</i></a>. If you like absurdity and satire, this has you covered. When I share Twain's "How I Edited an Agricultural Paper Once" with teachers during our teacher workshops, this is our emphasis. I read it out loud and always have to wait for their laughter to subside to continue. (I keep wondering which of Twain's work Andy included in the book...) <br />
<br />
Andy Borowitz's sublime march towards the ridiculous ensures him a long line of followers, myself included. I can't wait to work out the details and bring him to Hannibal. It makes me giggle just to think about it!<br />
<br />
<b>UPDATE:</b> The performance is scheduled for April 3, 2012. Tickets are $65. <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/index.php/events-exhibits/icalrepeat.detail/2012/04/03/1442/-/the-borowitz-report-an-evening-with-andy-borowitz">Click here</a> for details.<br />
Don't know Andy? Check out this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CNqDcJWKhs">CBS Sunday Morning story</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>ANOTHER</b> UPDATE: Curious about who made the list? Check out this <a href="http://books.usatoday.com/bookbuzz/post/2011/08/who-made-comedian-andy-borowitzs-list-of-50-funniest-writers/414587/1">USA TODAY article</a> that includes "the list." (Yes, O. Henry's there!)<br />
<br />
AND YET <b>ANOTHER</b> UPDATE: The book is now on the <i>New York Times</i> Bestseller List, and NPR has aired a <a href="http://www.npr.org/2011/10/29/141693188/twain-hughes-among-funniest-american-writers" target="_blank">great interview</a> with Andy. (And yes, they talk about Twain!) <br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nXfe6iFvJbg/TjbK3PLuCCI/AAAAAAAAACY/dgvP4tqF-LA/s1600/41I7V3g0PYL._SS500_.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nXfe6iFvJbg/TjbK3PLuCCI/AAAAAAAAACY/dgvP4tqF-LA/s400/41I7V3g0PYL._SS500_.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If Andy Borowitz says they're funny, they're funny!<br />
Will be available in the <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/shop/proddetail.php?prod=50Funniest">Mark Twain Museum Gift Shop</a><br />
October 13, 2011. Reserve a copy today!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Cindy Lovell, Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102443084612342243noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8164848494731035447.post-20859951106679690842011-07-28T08:44:00.001-05:002011-08-18T12:41:49.865-05:00Jimmy Buffett (aka: Huck Finn)Every day something "blog-worthy" happens at the Museum, but these days we've all been so busy it's nearly impossible to find five minutes to write about it. I'm going to make an exception today. If you've been following Museum activities on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/cindy.lovell#%21/pages/Mark-Twain-Boyhood-Home-Museum/97399285589">Facebook</a> or <a href="http://twitter.com/#%21/MarkTwainMuseum">Twitter</a>, you know we've been incredibly busy with getting ready for our CD release of <a href="http://www.marktwainmuseum.org/index.php/community-projects/mark-twain-cd">Mark Twain: Words & Music</a>. Well, back on May 3rd I went to St. Louis to see Jimmy Buffett in concert and to give him a copy of the CD masters so he could hear the completed project in its entirety. Jimmy told me he was heading to Jazz Fest in New Orleans and would be meeting the legendary <a href="http://www.bobedwardsradio.com/">Bob Edwards</a> for an interview, and he promised to plug the CD. Jimmy kept that promise, and the interview recently aired on Bob's Sirius XM show. Yesterday we got to hear the <a href="http://www.bobedwards.info/ftopic1257.html">podcast</a>, and what a thrill! In this <a href="http://www.bobedwardsradio.com/blog/2011/7/23/jimmy-buffett-doing-quite-well-in-margaritaville.html">one-hour interview</a> Jimmy covered a lot of ground, talking about his early days in the business and some of his current projects, including our CD. The show includes clips from the CD featuring Jimmy as Huck Finn and a sampling of "Huck Finn Blues" sung by Brad Paisley. If you're a Buffett fan or a Twain fan, you've got to <a href="http://www.bobedwards.info/ftopic1257.html">listen</a> to this. Jimmy's enthusiasm for the project shines through. I swear you can "hear" him smiling during the interview when he starts "talking Twain."<br />
<br />
When my kids were growing up, they knew two facts about their mother: I loved Mark Twain, and I loved Jimmy Buffett. When they were little, they could sing any number of Jimmy Buffett songs, and now that they're adults, Buffett's music is always on their playlist, and Twain is one of their favorite authors. (On that alone I can defend my claim of being a "good mom.") They remember hearing me say, "If I ever meet Jimmy Buffett, we're going to talk Twain." I said this, of course, because Jimmy is a sincere fan of Mr. Clemens's writing. He's written three songs about <i>Following the Equator </i>(<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Following-Equator-Journey-Around-World/dp/0486261131/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1311859122&sr=1-1">read my Amazon review here</a>) and paraphrased Twain in several other songs. Besides being a great songwriter, Jimmy is an impressive author as well, and you'll find homages to Twain in his books. (One of my favorite Buffett characters is Tully Mars, a cowboy with a horse named Mr. Twain. You can meet him in Jimmy's book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Margaritaville-Jimmy-Buffett/dp/0449222489"><i>Tales from Margaritaville</i></a>.) On April 29, 2010 I did get to meet Jimmy Buffett before his concert in St. Louis that evening. My son, Adam, was with me, and if you ever get the chance to talk to him, ask him about that meeting. Jimmy Buffett was warm and gracious, and we did indeed "talk Twain" right up until it was time for him to perform. And his show that night was full of references about our favorite author. <i>"Hey, y'all up there sittin' up there on the lawn... you're so far north you're almost in Mark Twain's hometown, Hannibal, Missouri!"</i> When he got to the final refrain of "Margaritaville," he sang, <i>"Some people claim that there's a woman to blame, but I know that it's Mark Twain's fault." </i> The St. Louis fans went crazy, for although we in Hannibal claim Sam Clemens for our own, so does everyone who lives within a hundred miles of the river.<br />
<br />
Thank you, Jimmy. Thank you for the years of honoring Mark Twain in your songs, for finding (and sharing) such inspiration in his words, for coming aboard our CD project, and for this great interview on the Bob Edwards Show. No doubt the old steamboat pilot is smiling down upon all of your antics, probably humming "Barefoot Children in the Rain" or "Fruitcakes" or something...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lhrw5Ozra0k/TjFl6zfQ5GI/AAAAAAAAACQ/sxfXlypx9UU/s1600/MUDD222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lhrw5Ozra0k/TjFl6zfQ5GI/AAAAAAAAACQ/sxfXlypx9UU/s1600/MUDD222.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Listen to Jimmy quote Mark Twain in "That's What Livin' Is To Me" on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hot-Water-Jimmy-Buffett/dp/B000002PH8/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1311860341&sr=1-1">this CD</a>.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Cindy Lovell, Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102443084612342243noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8164848494731035447.post-19888465524462228132011-02-18T11:58:00.001-06:002011-02-18T12:25:29.441-06:00Life After PepsiWell, to have a blog implies you have stories and ideas and information to share, and truly I believe that is true. However, we spent three months in pursuit of a Pepsi grant, and without sounding like sour grapes (we came in fifth), let me just say that I hope I never see another Pepsi logo again for the rest of my life. But, on the happy side of the story, we were surprised and gratified at the energy and support that came in from Twainiacs everywhere. So, thank you for voting for those THREE LONG MONTHS, and let's enjoy the coming spring with some other beverage... a Coke, perhaps, or water. Twain compared classic literature to wine and his work to water, saying "...everyone drinks water." So, water sounds good, and besides, the wine may have been made from sour grapes... <br />
<br />
In our other voting grant, Tourism Cares, we were successful and won $2,000 towards the continued work on the Becky Thatcher House. And for all those generous souls out there who'd like to see steady progress on this important project, <a href="http://marktwainmuseum.org/shop/donations.php">online donations</a> are gladly accepted!Cindy Lovell, Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102443084612342243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8164848494731035447.post-8028085246799535672010-11-01T08:33:00.005-05:002010-11-01T08:41:01.050-05:00Please Vote for the Becky Thatcher House!Please VOTE TODAY and DAILY through Nov. 30 for this Pepsi Refresh Grant! You can <a href="http://www.refresheverything.com/savemarktwain">VOTE ONLINE</a> each day and VOTE BY TEXT: <b>Text 104141 to 73774</b> (Pepsi).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="342" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WK0efGZevc8/TM7Cq9hbUzI/AAAAAAAAABg/5biDW0OfBHU/s400/Slide1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Will you <a href="http://www.refresheverything.com/savemarktwain">click 30 times</a> and text 30 times to help us earn $250,000? Please... and thank you!</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WK0efGZevc8/TM7Cq9hbUzI/AAAAAAAAABg/5biDW0OfBHU/s1600/Slide1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Cindy Lovell, Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102443084612342243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8164848494731035447.post-61452500670048548222010-10-29T11:51:00.004-05:002010-10-29T12:55:00.428-05:00Ken Burns' Pianist: Jacqueline SchwabFor the 80 or so folks in attendance last night, the evening concert surely created a special memory. Jacqueline Schwab, the only pianist documentary filmmaker Ken Burns will engage, performed for two hours on the Ossip Gabrilowitsch grand piano in the Museum Gallery. Ms. Schwab played classic Americana tunes - Stephen Foster, Scott Joplin, etc. - and paused in between to tell stories of the songs, the composers and performers, and the sentiment of the day. The crowd was mesmerized. It was wonderful to be tucked in all together among the Norman Rockwell paintings, soft lighting, friendly faces. I felt as though we'd have a group of friends over for some parlor entertainment (although someone of Jacqueline's talent would not typically be found playing in someone's parlor).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="139" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WK0efGZevc8/TMsJ4z2zCRI/AAAAAAAAABY/WDu2tv5k_8g/s320/JS+crowd.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacqueline Schwab delighted the audience with stories in between songs.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WK0efGZevc8/TMsJ4z2zCRI/AAAAAAAAABY/WDu2tv5k_8g/s1600/JS+crowd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>I <i>almost</i> asked her to play "Ashokan Farewell" - that haunting theme played throughout Burns' <i>Civil War</i> documentary, but I felt it might be too much to bear. The song is one I have heard hundreds of times, in my multiple viewings of the documentary and in the repeated listenings on the CD in my car and at home. But, I didn't ask her, knowing it would only make me cry. Imagine my mixed emotions (mainly joy) when she sat down to play her encore. <i>Ashokan Farewell</i>.<br />
<br />
And I was not the only one crying.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="258" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WK0efGZevc8/TMsKOAvfdVI/AAAAAAAAABc/_uYWXfnIB5M/s320/JS+solo.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacqueline Schwab playing the Ossip Gabrilowitsch piano</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WK0efGZevc8/TMsKOAvfdVI/AAAAAAAAABc/_uYWXfnIB5M/s1600/JS+solo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Cindy Lovell, Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102443084612342243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8164848494731035447.post-40164815233976879902010-10-24T14:41:00.001-05:002010-10-24T14:42:31.564-05:00VOTE DAILY for "Tourism Cares" GrantThe Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum is in the running for a grant to help us with the Becky Thatcher House restoration. However, there's one catch: we need your vote!<br />
<br />
Just like the Pepsi grant that will run Nov. 1-30, this grant is awarded based solely on the number of votes received. Right now the Museum is ahead, but we don't want to take anything for granted. So please, <a href="http://www.tourismcares.org/save-our-sites/vote-for-a-site">bookmark this page</a>, and remember to VOTE DAILY THROUGH DECEMBER 3rd. And please share this with your friends. Thank you!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WK0efGZevc8/TMSL00Yr9XI/AAAAAAAAABU/DNtEI156_1w/s320/Becky+restore.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Your DAILY VOTE will help us secure a grant to complete restoration and re-open this national treasure! </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WK0efGZevc8/TMSL00Yr9XI/AAAAAAAAABU/DNtEI156_1w/s1600/Becky+restore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Cindy Lovell, Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102443084612342243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8164848494731035447.post-37667272250607337832010-10-24T14:37:00.002-05:002010-10-25T11:26:44.601-05:00Hoarding GourdsThere is no such thing as a typical day at the Museum. Curator and friend Henry Sweets has told me this a thousand times, always with a knowing smile. Henry is wise. And right.<br />
<br />
On Friday morning Henry was visited by a couple who brought us a gigantic hand-painted gourd that was covered in scenes from <i>The Adventures of Tom Sawyer</i>, all beautifully depicted in acrylics. The artist, Mrs. Marsan, is 70 years old and works in any medium that is handy. She raises her own gourds and has won numerous "Best of Show" and "First Place" awards for her work. The "Mark Twain Gourd" includes some wood-burning technique and a bit of sculpture. Even the handle, an antique fishing bobber, is complimented with a smaller gourd painted to look exactly like a Mississippi River catfish. The work is unusual and compelling, and we are proud to accept it into our collection. In fact, we are hoping Mrs. Marsan will accept our invitation to visit the Museum in the spring and talk about her work. It's nice to know there are folks out there indulging their creativity and that they are finding some inspiration in our Sam Clemens!<br />
<br />
Thanks you, Mrs. Marsan!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WK0efGZevc8/TMGzzWwpp4I/AAAAAAAAABE/TJEwkpB7NgM/s320/Gourd.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Henry Sweets accepts hand-painted "Mark Twain" gourd from Mrs. Marsan's daughter</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_WK0efGZevc8/TMGzzWwpp4I/AAAAAAAAABE/TJEwkpB7NgM/s1600/Gourd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Cindy Lovell, Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102443084612342243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8164848494731035447.post-92058075967399609222010-10-22T11:26:00.003-05:002010-10-22T11:32:23.247-05:00The Mini Page<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WK0efGZevc8/TMG75R4nx0I/AAAAAAAAABQ/kGJyGzu4QXw/s320/Mark+Twain+Mini+Page.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="313" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In November you can read all about Mark Twain in The Mini Page!<br />
The Museum is happy to have been able to work with the editors on this project.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WK0efGZevc8/TMG75R4nx0I/AAAAAAAAABQ/kGJyGzu4QXw/s1600/Mark+Twain+Mini+Page.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WK0efGZevc8/TMG7vun6SEI/AAAAAAAAABM/hPo7lOsJZhE/s1600/Mark+Twain+Mini+Page.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>As a former elementary school teacher, I'm a big fan of <a href="http://www.amuniversal.com/ups/features/mini_page/index.htm">"The Mini Page"</a> - a Universal Press Syndicate feature for children appearing in more than 500 newspapers since 1969. I used to laminate these and share them with my students and was always impressed by the wide array of subjects they covered. <br />
<br />
We were contacted by the editors of The Mini Page recently and asked to help with an important upcoming topic: Mark Twain! In honor of Sam Clemens's 175th birthday, The Mini Page will feature our hero in its Nov. 13-19 issue. We are thrilled to have played a small part in providing information and images and hope you all get a chance to read it. Let's hope that classroom teachers will save this copy for future students, too!<br />
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WK0efGZevc8/TMG6tnhD1nI/AAAAAAAAABI/Ept8SNUsYy4/s1600/Mark+Twain+Mini+Page+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Cindy Lovell, Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102443084612342243noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8164848494731035447.post-52319521455998076882010-10-18T13:00:00.011-05:002010-10-22T10:57:30.826-05:00Honors and Resolutions and Awards... oh, my!So, this is how you write a blog... you squeeze it in between grant writing and answering emails and... well, you squeeze it in. I think Mark Twain would have been a GREAT blogger!<br />
<br />
Did you know that his new, suppressed-for-one-hundred-years autobiography just came out? Well, actually it is just Volume 1 (there will be two more), and was well worth the wait! This is Twain's tale as he intended to tell it, and thanks to the great folks at <a href="http://www.marktwainproject.org/homepage.html">The Mark Twain Project</a> at UC-Berkeley for their tireless efforts. Mark Twain wanted to "speak from the grave" - and this autobiography is doing just that 100 years after his death. It is already Amazon's Number One Bestseller (but please buy YOUR copy from our <a href="http://marktwainmuseum.org/shop/proddetail.php?prod=newautobiography">online store</a> or our Museum gift shop!), and I predict it will land on the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">New York Times</span> Bestseller List and stay there for quite some time. Imagine... he wanted to wait 100 years before the world could read this. And he got his wish!<br />
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In other Museum news, we found ourselves in the spotlight last week. The Museum won the <a href="http://www.mohumanities.org/news-updates/missouri-passages/september-2010-vol-7-no-8/honoring-the-2010-govenors-humanities-award-winners/">Governor's 2010 Humanities Award for Exemplary Community Achievement</a>; specific achievements included the young authors' workshops, teacher workshops, programs, "night at the museum" sleepovers, and our soon-to-be released CD telling Twain's life in spoken word and song. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WK0efGZevc8/TLyZrsGV0yI/AAAAAAAAAA8/gItUkE5inIQ/s1600/Humanities.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="143" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WK0efGZevc8/TLyZrsGV0yI/AAAAAAAAAA8/gItUkE5inIQ/s320/Humanities.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(L-R) Eric Zahnd, Council Vice-Chair; Henry Sweets, Museum Curator; <br />
Cindy Lovell, Museum Executive Director; Geoff Giglierano, Council Executive Director</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Gladys Coggswell, the Museum's storyteller-in-residence, also won the Governor's Humanities Award for Distinguished Literary Achievement for her book, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Stories From the Heart: Missouri's African American Heritage</span>. We are so proud of Gladys's achievement and thrilled to have her on staff.<br />
<br />
State Representative Rachel Bringer was on hand at the Governor's Humanities ceremony to present the Museum and Gladys with two separate Resolutions to honor the occasion. And as if that weren't enough hoopla for one week, imagine our surprise on Saturday night. I was attending the Hannibal NAACP annual banquet on Saturday night with curator Henry Sweets, Gladys, her husband Truman, and more than a hundred others, when president Annie Dixon announced that the Museum was to receive the Martin Luther King, Jr. Award! This was a real shock. I have worked with "Annie's kids" - Hannibal 6th graders - for two years now in an after-school program focusing on scientific inquiry, and it's been nothing but a joy. To receive an award for doing something you love is truly icing on the cake. These kids are great, and I enjoy helping them discover science in their world (psssssst... it's everywhere...). We work on the scientific method and emphasize communication skills. Scientists have to replicate; if they don't communicate clearly, they'll never cure paralysis, cancer, epilepsy, etc. Mark Twain was a truth-seeker and a truth-teller, and this is what science is all about: finding the truth. Mark Twain considered piloting a steamboat a science, and he gave us a great work of science fiction in <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.</span> I like to think he'd be proud of these recognitions in his honor.Cindy Lovell, Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102443084612342243noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8164848494731035447.post-25903688725516123482010-10-08T16:22:00.004-05:002010-10-18T15:06:32.596-05:00First Blog!Welcome to the launch of the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum Blog!<br />
<br />
Hello, fellow Twainiacs. Cindy Lovell here, saying hello and thanking you for stopping by the blog. We have so much going on, it's hard to know where to start.<br />
<br />
Last night I spent a great evening speaking to Twain fans at the <a href="http://www.mrrl.org/">Missouri River Regional Library</a> in Jefferson City, Missouri, and today I got to accompany a lovely tour group from POLIS at Quincy University out to Sam Clemens's birthplace in Florida, Missouri. They'll be joining us here at the Museum Gallery in a bit to hear local Mark Twain impersonator Jim Waddell perform as America's Greatest Author. While I was out today I missed a visit from friends in Oklahoma who come to the Museum every fall. We did get to speak on the phone briefly, so that was nice. They were generous in their praise for the changes that have occurred since their last visit. For instance:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul><li>The "Rockwell Reunion" - We presently have on loan the missing whitewashing scene that Norman Rockwell had borrowed and then accidentally sold. (Thank you, Farnsworth Art Museum, for helping us reunite these paintings!)</li>
<li>The new slavery exhibit in the Boyhood Home (a rug pallet indicating where Sandy likely slept)</li>
<li>The "whitewashing bucket" that allows visitors to pose for some really fun photos!</li>
<li>The completion of the exterior of the Becky Thatcher House, complete with its new (original) color, sort of a honey brown like the Lincoln home (thanks to computer analysis).</li>
<li>The new <a href="http://earthcam.com/marktwain">webcam</a> mounted on the Becky Thatcher House so visitors can wave at loved ones glued to their computer screens somewhere.</li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WK0efGZevc8/TLyjfbpkjFI/AAAAAAAAABA/lK_YEoNV4JM/s1600/Waving+at+webcam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WK0efGZevc8/TLyjfbpkjFI/AAAAAAAAABA/lK_YEoNV4JM/s320/Waving+at+webcam.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mark Twain Young Authors wave at the <a href="http://www.earthcam.com/marktwain/">webcam</a> so parents at home can "see" their kids. The young authors won scholarships to spend a week in Sam Clemens's hometown to work on their writing skills.</td></tr>
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That's the short list! If you haven't been to visit us during this "Year of Mark Twain," now is a perfect time with the changing leaves.Cindy Lovell, Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12102443084612342243noreply@blogger.com18