Mark Twain is best known for his funny stories and novels about immortal boy heroes; however, his writings extend far into other fields. He wrote in a dizzying variety of genres, and much of his work explores themes well outside the realms of normal human experience. Although he is not generally known as a science fiction, fantasy, horror, or mystery author, he actually wrote a great deal in those fields. The 32 strange and macabre tales in the present volume—drawn mostly from his lesser-known works—offer a rarely seen side of him. Brought vividly to life by nearly 70 entirely original and realistic illustrations, these tales place characters in macabre and inexplicable situations, send them into remote dimensions of time and space, and have them commit terrible crimes, make incredible mistakes, and play fantastic tricks on one another. Readers will find this collection eye-opening, chilling, and thought-provoking ... but also full of laughs!

R. Kent Rasmussen is the holder of a UCLA doctorate in history and a retired reference-book editor. He has long been recognized as a leading world authority on Mark Twain, about whom he has published thirteen books. Those volumes include such now-standard reference works as Mark Twain A to Z; its expanded revision, Critical Companion to Mark Twain; and The Quotable Mark Twain. Mark Twain books that he has edited include four volumes of critical essays; several collections of Mark Twain’s own writings, including the Penguin Classics edition of Autobiographical Writings; and Mark Twain for Dog Lovers, a Lyons Press publication. He lives in Thousand Oaks, CA.