Thomas Powers in LRB (in 2011): ‘The original for “Tom” was of course the original of Mark Twain, born Samuel L. Clemens, a deeply impressionable boy who resisted all entreaty to improve until the grave took him at 74 and closed the case. There is no point in trying to sort out fiction and reality in Hannibal-St Petersburg, or to distinguish “Huck” from the real Tom, or “Tom” from the real Sam.’

And: ‘Some reviewers have been irritated by the book [Twain’s autobiography]’s abundance, disorder and uneven quality, but in my view that is like complaining that a dictionary has too many words in it, including many boring words.’

Also: ‘Twain didn’t quit being funny, but the subjects of his humour changed from things he loved and forgave, to things he hated and scorned.’

I guess that’s what growing up means. Best to postpone it, without nostalgia or childish behavior.