Course

Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) was a complex man, the son of slave-holding southerners who married into an abolitionist family. “A pen warmed up in hell” was his phrase for a mode of social justice writing, and it is these lesser-known essays, articles, and speeches that we will explore in class. In them he critiques racism, the Jim Crow South, imperialism, nationalism, anti-Semitism, monopolism, and religion. Samuel Clemens’ authorship is relevant to our own Gilded Age: Is blazing satire an effective response to injustice?

Faculty Bio

Linda Haverty Rugg retired from her faculty and administrative positions at the University of California, Berkeley in 2024. She has published and lectured on Mark Twain's autobiography and his writings on race and antisemitism.

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Member Praise for Linda Rugg

Linda Rugg is such an engaging instructor, and she has a deep passion ... that invigorated all of us.

Dr. Rugg is an exceptionally gifted teacher. She is brilliant, funny and down to earth. The class exceeded all expectations.
 

Twain's writings (and life) are so thought-provoking and complex that I was eager to learn more, and Prof. Rugg really delivered. I appreciated how seriously she addressed questions posed by students, and at the same time I enjoyed her sense of humor.

Linda is just the best -- her breadth of knowledge, interactions with members, humor, storytelling skills, and her own love for learning. 

Faculty Q&A

• Read an interview with Linda Rugg from our archive.