The American Claimant

The American Claimant is a book by Mark Twain, first published in 1892. This satirical novel marks a fascinating point in American literary history as it sees the return of one of Twain’s most beloved and eccentric characters, Colonel Mulberry Sellers. Often categorized as a sequel or spin-off to The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today, this story finds the indomitable Sellers convinced that he is the rightful heir to an English earldom. As he navigates a series of hilariously misguided schemes — ranging from materializing the dead to claiming his "rightful" noble seat — Twain masterfully skewers the obsession with class and status that permeated both American and British society at the turn of the century.

The plot thickens when the actual heir to the earldom, a young nobleman named Berkeley, decides to renounce his title and head to the United States to experience the equality of a true democracy. In a classic comedy of errors and mistaken identity, Berkeley lands in a Washington, D.C. boarding house, only to find himself entangled with the Sellers family. As Berkeley struggles to adapt to the grueling life of a common laborer, the "American Earl" Sellers continues his pursuit of aristocratic grandeur. This clever role reversal allows Twain to explore themes of social mobility, the American dream, and the inherent absurdity of inherited privilege with his trademark wit and sharp social commentary.

Mark Twain, widely regarded as the father of American literature, utilizes his experience with the "Gilded Age" to paint a vivid picture of 19th-century ambition. The American Claimant is unique for being one of the first literary works ever dictated into a phonograph, reflecting Twain’s own fascination with the emerging technology of his era. Throughout the narrative, the interactions between the idealistic Berkeley and the visionary, if somewhat delusional, Colonel Sellers provide a humorous yet biting critique of the cultural divide between the Old World and the New. It is a must-read for fans of classic satire and those looking for a deep dive into the humorous side of Twain’s later bibliography.