Mark Twain was one of the greatest American authors in history and is often regarded as "the father of American literature." Twain's writing was distinguished due to his use of colloquial speech as well as his humor. Few students can graduate high school without reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The Mysterious Stranger, published posthumously in 1916, is a novel that is considered controversial due to its anti-religion rhetoric. Despite the serious topic at hand, Twain still displays his classic humor.