This book traces the ways in which Mark Twain was formed by, and sought to manipulate, the ideology of gender. Peter Stoneley considers the range of Twain's writing, from classic novels such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to embittered autobiographical fragments. Twain's preoccupation with the nature and value of the "feminine" has long been recognized as a central feature of his writing. Stoneley goes beyond repeated generalizations to provide a detailed analysis; his book will be of interest to scholars and students of American literature, cultural history and gender studies.