“I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure.”

Circulates under Mark Twain

Editorial status

misattributed

This sentence is commonly attached to Twain, but the cited evidence identifies it as a shortened version of a Clarence Darrow quotation. The record should name Darrow and preserve the difference between source and circulating form.

Source-backed author: Clarence Darrow

The popular sentence is a shortened or altered form of a Clarence Darrow quotation.

Earliest traceable appearance in this record: 1922 Clarence Darrow speech, with later shortened versions attributed to Twain.

Use the record carefully

A locator is an invitation to check.

This page is a public editorial record, not a blanket rights grant and not an independent edition-by-edition audit. Wording can differ by translation and edition. If you reuse the line, inspect the cited work yourself and credit the edition that supports your wording.

See more Mark Twain records ↗

Check another quotation ↗