Roughing It Anthologized in True Crime Collection

Harold Schechter's new volume, Murder Ink: A Killer Collection, is a "celebration" of 350 years worth of true-crime writing. It's one of non-fiction's most popular genres, and one that wasn't left untouched by Twain. That is why Schechter has included an excerpt from the author's famous travel tome, Roughing It.

In particular, the editor has selected Twain's description of the frontier violence in the Wild West that he encountered while traveling to Nevada with his brother. Specifically, the young Clemens was taken by the propensity of would-be gold miners to seek retribution with a pistol.

Murder Ink: A Killer Collection is available now from the Library of America.