Mark Twain was a strong proponent of the superiority of the spoken word. Realizing the importance of conversational style, Twain derived from and acted in accordance with the principles of communication effectiveness which subsequently formed theoretical bases for communication instruction by such scholars as James Winans and Charles Woolbert. An avid interest in human behavior led Twain to perceive oral reading as an interactive relationship among source, speaker, and listener, and he maintained that the listener was the most important consideration. A reading by Charles Dickens introduced him to the profession of platform performing, and he learned the art through observation and practice, studying the techniques of contemporaries, Artemus Ward, Henry Ward Beecher, and the Reverend Dr. Chapin. Twain became a member of the Boston Lyceum Bureau and soon became convinced that the art of reading required greater skill than the art of lecturing. The material he found most entertaining to his audiences included stories, anecdotes, dramatic scenes, and descriptions from a wide variety of his writings. Twain recited his material in careless dress and constant deadpan expression, often appearing to be unprepared or confused; he would mark transitions by moving from one side of the stage to the other. He considered the dramatic pause a "powerful gun" and practiced it to perfection. Before the emergence of contemporary communication theory, with its emphasis on defining effectiveness as creating an intended response, Twain was practicing this theory with his innovative style. (Original and platform transcripts of one of Twain's most popular readings and 18 references are included.) (AEW)