In 1847， Twain starts working as a journalist for the Hanniba Journal， his brother's newspaper. In 1853 Twain goes to work in New York and other important American cities， but then he decides to be a riverboat pilot. He works on the Mississippi River and later uses this experience in many of his stories. Twain marries Olivia Langdon and they have one son and three daughters. 在1847年，吐温开始在他哥哥的《汉尼拔日报》当记者。
小说素材取自很久以前在英国流传的《王子和侍从》的故事，辅之以16世纪时的英国社会状况大背景，塑造了两个社会地位、思考方式、行为特征等方面完全不同的主人公，一个是整天乞讨挨揍又梦想当王子的贫民窟穷小孩儿汤姆·康蒂，一个是万人景仰、生活奢靡而又向往自由的王子爱德华。
