The Trouble Begins
The Mark Twain House & Museum began its The Trouble Begins lecture series in 2010. The title of the lecture series comes from a handbill advertising Mark Twain’s October 2, 1866, lecture presented at Maguire’s Academy of Music in San Francisco which stated “Doors open at 7 o’clock. The Trouble to begin at 8 o’clock.”
The Trouble Begins lecture series is held each spring and fall with free presentations featuring distinguished scholars who discuss elements of the life, work, and era of Mark Twain and use them to explore wider themes in the humanities and both historical and current issues.
From 2010-19 the Mark Twain House welcomed 64 scholars to our Lincoln Financial Auditorium stage. In 2020, thanks to a CT Humanities grant, The Trouble Begins series pivoted to a virtual program. Today, The Trouble Begins uses in-person, virtual, and hybrid formats to keep these presentations accessible to all and allow Twainiacs from all over the world to come together – whether in-person or virtually – to discuss all things Twain, share their passions, and have a bit of fun.
Since 1985, the Center for Mark Twain Studies has hosted its own The Trouble Begins at Eight lecture series. You can access their lecture archive here.
Click Here to submit YOUR proposal to become a Trouble Begins Speaker!Thank you to our 2024 Trouble Begins Sponsors
Kathleen and David Jimenez.
The pasta receptions for in-person lectures are also supported by
John Muller on Fredrick Douglass
Calling all Twainiacs and Douglassonians!
Known throughout the country and the world as two of the most recognized Americans of the 19th century, Mark Twain and Frederick Douglass shared numerous associations and friendships across generations and geography.
Join us in welcoming Paul Schiller to the Trouble Begins stage as he presents a lecture on William Gillette & Gillette Castle IN-PERSON & LIVESTREAMING on Tuesday, April 23rd
A Celebration of George Griffin with Kevin MacDonnell IN-PERSON & LIVESTREAMING on Tuesday, May 14th
Details coming soon!
Join us in welcoming Jason Silverman to the Trouble Begins stage as he presents his lecture on Mark Twain and Abraham Lincoln VIRTUALLY on Thursday, June 20th
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Daniel White on the documentary “Monadnock: The Mountain that Stands Alone”
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Barbara Snedecor on her book “Gravity: Selected Letters of Olivia Langdon Clemens”
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Chessie Monks-Kelly on The House That Trudeau Built
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Robert Engel on The Gilded Age in the Adirondacks
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Donna Harrington-Lueker on Summer Reading
(Click on any title to be taken to the YouTube recording or PBS for the Monadnock documentary.)
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Kerry Driscoll on “Work and Play in Mark Twain’s Creative Process”
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Mikayla Ploof on The Historic Ampersand Hotel
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Joe Lemak and Matt Seybold in conversation with Betsy Maguire on All Things Elmira
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Jane Curley on the Clemens’ Onteora Summer
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Will Mackintosh on 19th Century Vacations
(Click on any title to be taken to the YouTube recording.)
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Stephen Cushman on “The Generals’ Civil War”
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Rasmussen, MacDonnell, Schmidt, & Ober discuss “Critical Insights: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer”
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Linda Morris on Susy’s Last Years
(Click on any title to be taken to the YouTube recording.)
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Kate Moore on Elizabeth Packard
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Bruce Michelson on The Printer’s Devil
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Dr. Ann Ryan and Dr. Laura Skandera Trombley on Mark Twain & CRT
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Kevin MacDonnell on Mark Twain in the Marketplace
(Click on any title to be taken to the YouTube recording.)
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Dwayne Eutsey on Did Joseph Twichell Save Huck Finn from Hell?
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Katie Mears on Mark Twain and Stand-Up Comedy
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Giacomo Calabria on Mark Twain: Gamer
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Hannah Farber on Underwriters of the United States
(Click on any title to be taken to the YouTube recording.)
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Perri Klass, MD on A Good Time to Be Born
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Hsuan Hsu on Twain’s Olfactory Gags
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Loren Ghiglione, Alyssa Karas, and Dan Tham on Searching for America’s Identity
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Kevin Mac Donnell on Collecting Twainiana
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John Pascal on Mark Twain and Thomas Nast
(Click on any title to be taken to the YouTube recording.)
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Susan Harris on Mark Twain, the World, and Me (recording unavailable)
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Elizabeth Burgess on Nook Farm
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Joe Lemak and Matt Sebyold on Mark Twain in Elmira (recording unavailable)
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Kevin Mac Donnell on Mark Twain’s Voice
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John Pascal on Mark Twain and Artemus Ward
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Steve Courtney on Mark Twain and Joseph Twichell
(Click on any title to be taken to the YouTube recording.)
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Kerry Driscoll on The Mark Twain Papers
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Grace DiModugno on Susy Clemens Speaks
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Alan Rankin on Nina Gabrilowitsch
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Mallory Howard and Jason Scappaticci on Mark Twain and Spiritualism
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Miki Pfeffer on Grace King’s Letters
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Patrick Ober on Mark Twain and Epidemics
(Click on any title to be taken to the YouTube recording.)