Reviews
"Incredible. . . . A complex and absorbing narrative which, like a good mystery, gets more suspenseful as it goes." - Minneapolis Star-Tribune "A treasure trove. . . . Isabel is an intriguing figure, but even more gripping is Trombley's portrait of Twain as a kind of American Lear, obsessed with his legacy and beset by the troubles of his surviving daughters." - St. Petersburg Times "Compelling. . . . Goes beyond Twain's carefully constructed versions of events [for] a refreshing, fill-in-the-blanks effect." - Newsday "Trombley gives [Twain's] 450-page rant against a former personal assistant the historical context and credibility that had been long missing." - Los Angeles Times "Like Letters from the Earth, Twain continues to live long after his death. Now we have Laura Trombley's fascinating narrative of his last days. . . . The pieces fall into place: The funniest man on earth is revealed to be a much more complicated soul." -Ken Burns, filmmaker "A remarkable investigative effort. . . . Gripping." - The Oregonian "Researched to a 'T,' Mark Twain''s Other Woman: The Hidden Story of His Final Years tells a story of dysfunction, deceit and duplicity the likes of which we associate not with Mark Twain-but with the pages of Henry James." - Brenda Wineapple, author of White Heat and Hawthorne , winner of the Pushcart Prize "In this often revealing work, Trombley punctures the myth that Twain was affable and easygoing in his dotage." - The Boston Globe "While presenting the case for Lyon, Trombley has some interesting things to say about the difficulties of being a 'new woman' in America 100 years ago." - St. Louis Post-Dispatch "Trombley has proved to be adept at peeling back Samuel L. Clemens's carefully constructed persona and forcing scholars to reconsider some basic assumptions." -Bruce Michelson, president of the Mark Twain Circle of America. "The points of friction in the story of Twain and Lyons mirror a Victorian drama." - Los Angeles Times "[A] remarkable book about an even more remarkable relationship. This friendship, which went sour, makes for engaging reading and his historical reporting at its very best. Laura Skandera Trombley brings both Twain and this very determined woman into sharp focus." - Tucson Citizen "Fascinating and persuasive." - Financial Times "Provides a disturbing picture of the author, and his family and friends, not found in the traditional Twain biographies." - The Star-Ledger "This book is a revelation. . . . A first-rate account of Mark Twain's last decade. This account gives us a candid look at the cross-currents of wit, charm and irrational angers that marked and marred the great man's final years. Trombley's discoveries make for an illuminating portrait, and essential reading." - Meryle Secrest, author of Duveen: A Life in Art "An engaging and at times shocking look at Mark Twain, his relationship with his secretary Van Kleek Lyon and his daughters. . . . An irresistible and controversial read." - Historical Novels Review "Trombley's Mark Twain''s Other Woman unlocks the door to long-suppressed secrets that marred the closing chapters of Mark Twain's life. A tragic story emerges, and Trombley's powerful narrative enables us to witness each dramatic scene." -Alan Gribben, author of Mark Twain''s Library "Lyon's story had been lost to history-until now. Lyon finally gets her due in this wonderfully researched book." - The Sacramento Book Review "A riveting tale of the vortex of ambition, desire, jealousy and obsession swirling round one Great Man." -Emma Donoghue, author of Slammerkin and Room, "There are a lot of reasons why Laura Skandera Trombley spent 16 years working on a book about a woman whom generations of Mark Twain biographers dismissed as inconsequential to his life. But the biggest catalyst was the 450-page elephant in the room-a manuscript Twain wrote in his final years savaging the reputation of his former personal assistant, Isabel Van Kleek Lyon . . . . Trombley has proved to be adept at peeling back Samuel L. Clemens' carefully constructed persona and forcing scholars to reconsider some basic assumptions, says Bruce Michelson, professor of English at the University of Illinois, and president of the Mark Twain Circle of America." -Scott Martelle,Los Angeles Times "Provocative . . . a strong challenge to the iconic image of an iconoclast." -Booklist "LikeLetters from the Earth, Twain continues to give long after his death. Now, we have Laura Trombley's fascinating narrative of his last days and his little-known relationship with Isabel Lyon. The pieces begin to fall into place; the funniest man on earth is revealed to be a much more complicated soul. It was Twain after all who said, "The secret source of humor is not joy but sorrow; there is no humor in Heaven." -Ken Burns, filmmaker "A riveting tale of the vortex of ambition, desire, jealousy and obsession swirling round one Great Man." -Emma Donoghue, author ofSlammerkinandThe Sealed Letter "This book is a revelation. Thanks to hitherto unpublished letters and diaries of a witness who was snubbed and excluded in previous works, we now have a first-rate account of Mark Twain's last decade. This account gives us a candid look at the cross currents of wit, charm and irrational angers that marked and marred the great man's final years. Trombley's discoveries make for an illuminating portrait, and essential reading." -Meryle Secrest, author ofDuveen: A Life in ArtandSomewhere for Me: A Biography of Richard Rodgers "Researched to a tee,Mark Twain's Other Woman: The Hidden Story of His Final Yearstells a story of dysfunction, deceit, and duplicity the likes of which we associate not with Mark Twain-but the pages of Henry James." -Brenda Wineapple, author ofWhite HeatandHawthorne, “Incredible. . . . A complex and absorbing narrative which, like a good mystery, gets more suspenseful as it goes.� - Minneapolis Star-Tribune “A treasure trove. . . . Isabel is an intriguing figure, but even more gripping is Trombley’s portrait of Twain as a kind of American Lear, obsessed with his legacy and beset by the troubles of his surviving daughters.� - St. Petersburg Times “Compelling. . . . Goes beyond Twain’s carefully constructed versions of events [for] a refreshing, fill-in-the-blanks effect.� - Newsday “Trombley gives [Twain’s] 450-page rant against a former personal assistant the historical context and credibility that had been long missing.� - Los Angeles Times “Like Letters from the Earth, Twain continues to live long after his death. Now we have Laura Trombley’s fascinating narrative of his last days. . . . The pieces fall into place: The funniest man on earth is revealed to be a much more complicated soul.� -Ken Burns, filmmaker “A remarkable investigative effort. . . . Gripping.� - The Oregonian “Researched to a ‘T,’ Mark Twain's Other Woman: The Hidden Story of His Final Years tells a story of dysfunction, deceit and duplicity the likes of which we associate not with Mark Twain-but with the pages of Henry James.� - Brenda Wineapple, author of White Heat and Hawthorne , winner of the Pushcart Prize “In this often revealing work, Trombley punctures the myth that Twain was affable and easygoing in his dotage.� - The Boston Globe “While presenting the case for Lyon, Trombley has some interesting things to say about the difficulties of being a ‘new woman’ in America 100 years ago.� - St. Louis Post-Dispatch “Trombley has proved to be adept at peeling back Samuel L. Clemens’s carefully constructed persona and forcing scholars to reconsider some basic assumptions.� -Bruce Michelson, president of the Mark Twain Circle of America. “The points of friction in the story of Twain and Lyons mirror a Victorian drama.� - Los Angeles Times “[A] remarkable book about an even more remarkable relationship. This friendship, which went sour, makes for engaging reading and his historical reporting at its very best. Laura Skandera Trombley brings both Twain and this very determined woman into sharp focus.� - Tucson Citizen “Fascinating and persuasive.� - Financial Times “Provides a disturbing picture of the author, and his family and friends, not found in the traditional Twain biographies.� - The Star-Ledger “This book is a revelation. . . . A first-rate account of Mark Twain’s last decade. This account gives us a candid look at the cross-currents of wit, charm and irrational angers that marked and marred the great man’s final years. Trombley’s discoveries make for an illuminating portrait, and essential reading.� - Meryle Secrest, author of Duveen: A Life in Art “An engaging and at times shocking look at Mark Twain, his relationship with his secretary Van Kleek Lyon and his daughters. . . . An irresistible and controversial read.� - Historical Novels Review “Trombley’s Mark Twain's Other Woman unlocks the door to long-suppressed secrets that marred the closing chapters of Mark Twain’s life. A tragic story emerges, and Trombley’s powerful narrative enables us to witness each dramatic scene.� -Alan Gri
