The Mark Twain House's Reading Challenge

The Mark Twain House & Museum is challenging everyone this year to get hooked on a good book!

The Mark Twain House’s Reading Challenge is open to readers of ALL ages, languages, and backgrounds.

The Reading Challenge will take place between June 10th-December 31st, 2023.

Participants are encouraged to participate and share their reads with us through our form below, our Facebook group, our StoryGraph Challenge, and our GoodReads Group. Visitors to the Museum are also to encouraged to interact with our post-it wall and share with us: their favorite book, a book recommendation, and/or their own personal reading goals.

In January 2024 we will randomly select 3 adult and 3 youth participants for a variety of reading-themed prizes.

Summer reading programs at Connecticut public libraries are eligible for special benefits. Learn more and sign up today!

I do not read anything but history and biography. You perceive that for me to presume to indicate the hundred authors which a person ought to read, would be folly. No, leave me out: My testimony would not be valuable.

— Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) in a letter to Joseph B. Gilder, 16 May 1886

It is so unsatisfactory to read a noble passage and have no one you love at hand to share the happiness with you. And it is unsatisfactory to read to one's self anyhow -- for the uttered voice so heightens the expression.

— Clara Clemens, in My Father Mark Twain

Don't explain your author, read him right and he explains himself.

— Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) in a letter to Cordelia Welsh Foote of Cincinnati, 2 December 1887.

When you visit The Mark Twain House, be sure to:

  • Use our Post-It Wall in Hal Holbrook Hall to tell us your favorite book and your personal reading goal for the year.
  • Check out our Bookstack Book Tracker to see how many books our reading community has read so far this year.
  • Stop by The Museum Store to pick up your next book, a book tote, or other reading-themed gifts!
(You can shop for bookish things from home too!)

On GoodReads?

Add the Mark Twain House & Museum as a GoodReads Friend and join our “The Mark twain House’s Reading Challenge Group”! Once a member of the group, add the books that you’ve read this year to our group bookshelf to help us reach our reading goal for the year!

Join Our GoodReads Group!

On The Storygraph?

Add the Mark Twain House & Museum as a StoryGraph Friend and join our “The Mark twain House’s Reading Challenge “! Once a member of the challenge, add the books you’ve read this year to the prompts. Each book added helps us reach our reading goal for the year!

Join Our The StoryGraph Challenge!

On Facebook?

Follow the Mark Twain House & Museum’s Facebook page and join our Reading Challenge group! Once a member of the group, you can share your #shelfies with us and talk about the books you’ve read with other group members!

Join Our Facebook Reading Challenge Group!

The Mark Twain House’s 2023 Reading Challenge was made possible thanks to the generosity of David Sherman and Diana Creamer

Book Goal Tracker!

Throughout the year we will be tallying the books read through our GoodReads, StoryGraph, and Facebook pages along with our book submission form (linked below) to track how many books we all have read!

Tell Us What Book You've Read!
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Summer Reading at CT Public Libraries

For Sam, Livy, Susy, Clara, and Jean Clemens, summertime meant summer reading–whether at home or on vacation around the world! Connecticut public libraries are invited to participate in our Summer Reading Challenge through our Facebook group, on Storygraph and Goodreads, and by posting on our reading wall at the museum–but they’re also eligible for a special bonus.

If your library runs a summer reading program for young people, sign up below to receive a coupon for 1 free adult ticket and 1 free child ticket that can be awarded to the summer reading participant of your choice! If you are a library patron who’d like your library to participate, please send the link to this page to the library employee who runs your summer reading program; we will not send free ticket passes to general patrons.

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Library Memberships allow your patrons to purchase deeply discounted tickets to tour the Mark Twain House and visit our exhibits. Learn more on our Memberships page.