Books Quote by Mark Twain
““I like Joan of Arc best of all my books; and it is the best; I know it perfectly well. And besides, it furnished me seven times the pleasure afforded me by any of the others; twelve years of preparation, and two years of writing. The others need no preparation and got none.””
About This Quote
Source Novella: The Mysterious Stranger, 1882 (attributed)
Twain humorously claims his favorite book is about Joan of Arc, emphasizing personal preference and the pleasure derived from reading.
In simple terms: He jokes about loving a book about Joan of Arc more than others.
Key Takeaway
Value personal taste in literature.
Themes
humor
literature
personal preference
Mood
playful
lighthearted
Type
humorous
reflective
When to use this quote
- book clubs
- literary criticism
- personal reading lists
Key Concepts
subjectivity
reading enjoyment
authorial voice
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we favor certain stories over others?
- How does humor shape our literary judgments?
A Different Perspective
The claim is likely exaggerated for comedic effect.
![“Oh! What honour for the female sex! It is perfectly obvious that God has special regard for it when all these wretched people who destroyed the whole Kingdom – now recovered and made safe by a woman, something that 5000 men could not have done – and the traitors [have been] exterminated. Before…” quote by Christine de Pizan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6c1/christine-de-pizan-13257_courage_oh-what-honour-for-the-female-sex-it-is_503425.jpg)
