Books

New York: C.H. Webb, 1867. First edition, first printing of the author's rare first book. Octavo, original cloth, first issue lacking the leaf of ads facing the title page but with unbroken type on pages 21, 66 and 198. In very good condition with light wear to the extremities. A sharp example. Perhaps no short sketch of Twain's so quickly won wide popularity as did 'The Jumping Frog.' Calaveras County, California, is known to thousands who have never seen the Golden State simply because of this gem of humor. This little volume, the author's first published book, came into being under the sponsorship of Charles Henry Webb-who also edited it under his pseudonym of 'John Paul.' To accompany 'The Jumping Frog' he chose twenty-six other sketches, of which at least two, 'Curing a Cold' and 'The Story of the Bad Little Boy Who Didn't Come to Grief,' later attained the distinction of being incorporated into recitation books…

The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, also known as 'The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County' is an 1865 short story by Mark Twain. It was his first great success as a writer and brought him national attention. The story is set in a gold-mining camp in Calaveras County, California, and the plot revolves around a jumping frog contest. Twain's narrative follows the gambler Jim Smiley, who has a frog that can jump higher than any other frog. This humorous tale is also known for its colorful characters, including the narrator, who is drawn into the story by the loquacious storyteller, Simon Wheeler.