The ghosts of Mark Twain

"In his autobiography, Mark Twain confesses that "from the cradle up I have been like the rest of the race-never quite sane in the night." Of all the memories and fears that disturbed Twain's peace of mind, none are more intractable than those associated with White fathers, Black men, the histories they reflect, and the future they promise. The Ghosts of Mark Twain: A Study of Manhood, Race, and the Gothic Imagination investigates these tense intersections in Twain's life and work. Ann M. Ryan maps Twain's resistance to ideals of white masculinity and his occasional capitulation to them. While Twain reflects upon the history of White men--including the intimate memory of his father's failures and abuses--he also imagines a future in which Black men will gain an authentic voice and agency. Preferring the messy humanity of Mark Twain, Ryan calls into question the "St. Mark" school of criticism, which celebrates-among other themes-Twain's easy relation to Black culture"-- Provided by publisher