Solidified today: The fact that I thoroughly enjoy reading anything authored by Mark Twain.
Why? His writing style is simple and yet memorable. Laden with sarcasm and yet completely honest. His stories endlessly entertaining without the employment of showy, flowery language.
Also because he starts his autobiography with:
I was born the 30th of November, 1835, in the almost invisible village of Florida, Monroe County, Missouri. My parents removed to Missouri in the early ‘thirties; I do not remember just when, for I was not born then and cared nothing for such things.
Recently someone in Missouri has sent me a picture of the house I was born in. Heretofore I have always stated that is was a palace but I shall be more guarded now.
But my favorite line from his life’s story, thus far :
The North thinks it knows how to make corn bread, but this is gross superstition.