Mark Twain once said or wrote, "I've never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure."
Spread on: Memes, magnets, stickers and yard signs, since about 2011
The real story
The line seems to have first appeared in this form with Twain's name around 2011. It most likely grew out of a 1932 quote from American lawyer Clarence Darrow about reading obituary notices with great satisfaction. Twain gets credit for plenty of witty lines he never wrote.
The fact-checker's verdict: “Incorrect Attribution”. Our label never goes further than theirs.
If a quote mostly appears on merchandise and memes rather than in the author's works, treat the attribution as suspect.
The receipts
Mark Twain falsely credited with quote about reading 'some obituaries with great pleasure' ↗
Snopes · 2026-06-07
