Lynn Cullen grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana and is the bestselling author of The Sisters of Summit Avenue, Twain's End, and Mrs. Poe, which was named an NPR 2013 Great Read and an Indie Next List selection. She lives in Atlanta.
Praise for Twain's End
"Reputation-squaring novel. Cullen splashes a surplus of fuel onto
her incendiary raw material."-- "New York Times Book Review"
Twain's End is an unflinching, clear-eyed view into the last years
of one of American's most beloved authors. Ms. Cullen delves deep
and gives us a glimpse into the pain that shaped the mask worn by
Samuel Clemens. Brilliant and insightful. I hated to reach the
end.--Susan Crandall, bestselling author of THE FLYING CIRCUS and
WHISTLING PAST THE GRAVEYARD
"Twain's End remains a book that is a joy to read. Ms. Cullen is
the Bronte of our day." -- "Huffington Post"
"Twain's End is a well-researched love story and history...readers
will savor this accessible view of the enigmatic Mark Twain."--
"Shelf Awareness"
"[Cullen is] a wonderful writer...Twain's End should be on your
reading list."-- "Bookreporter.com"
Every room radiates with deliciously calibrated tension and hidden
desires in Twain's End. It is in its psychological truths that the
novel succeeds most brilliantly, revealing the inevitable wounds in
a relationship between a famous person and an ordinary one, and
what happens when the balance of power changes. A riveting
read.--Nancy Bilyeau, author of THE CHALICE
Lynn Cullen is both a masterful writer and literary detective.
Meticulous research and keen curiosity led her to piece together a
fascinating account of the last seven years of Mark Twain's life.
Though the story of Isabel and Sam took place over a hundred years
ago, its concerns remain with us today: the corrupting nature of
power and fame, the corroding legacy of slavery in America, the
ways in which childhood wounds continue to cripple us throughout
our adult lives, the fact that love is sometimes not enough when it
comes to the relationships between women and men. To the public,
Twain might have been 'Known to Everyone, Liked by All, ' but to
those closest to him, he was a troubled and difficult man. Cullen
shows Mark Twain 'warts and all, ' yet we--and the utterly
sympathetic Isabel Lyon--still love his irascible spirit, a spirit
that nearly leaps off the page. In short: Twain's End is a fabulous
read; I loved this book.--Susan Rebecca White, author of A PLACE AT
THE TABLE
With Twain's End, Lynn Cullen has once again proven herself a
master of historical fiction. This remarkable book explores the
life of Mark Twain as seen through the eyes of the women in his
household. As each interacts with the legendary Twain, the reader
is allowed glimpses of the man--Samuel Clemens--living behind the
well-known persona who rode in on a comet's coattails and made the
entire world laugh. Lynn Cullen is an outstanding writer, and
Twain's End is an exceptional book.--Raymond Atkins, author of
SWEETWATER BLUES
"Twain's End is an exquisitely nuanced portrayal of the American
icon and the woman who dared to love him. With superb attention to
detail, and deep understanding and care for her protagonists, Lynn
Cullen brings this deliciously complex story to life, delivering
everything we expect in a modern masterpiece."--Anne Girard, author
of MADAME PICASSO
"Mark Twain's last decade roars with intrigue and yearning as Lynn
Cullen brings our attention to his complicated relationship with
Isabel Lyon, his personal secretary who has been long overlooked. A
great read for fans of Z and The Paris Wife. Cullen illuminates the
darker, outermost corners of Samuel Clemens's later years, the
caged lives of his daughters, his dying wife, and a woman 'Mark
Twain' was never meant to love."--Suzanne Rindell, author of THE
OTHER TYPIST
"The breadth of research and faithfulness to the subjects is
evident in Twain's End. With clarity and honesty, Cullen resurrects
one of America's most complicated and well-known writers and his
intimates in vivid, fascinating, and sometimes shocking ways.
Twain's End is more than a study in character; it is a cautionary
tale of the spoils of fame and power, and those intoxicated by it.
Captivating."--Erika Robuck, bestselling author of HEMINGWAY'S GIRL
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