Searching for Jim is the untold story of Sam Clemens and the world of slavery that produced him. Despite Clemens s remarks to the contrary in his autobiography, slavery was very much a part of his life. Dempsey has uncovered a wealth of newspaper accounts and archival material revealing that Clemens s life, from the ages of twelve to seventeen, was intertwined with the lives of the slaves around him.

During Sam s earliest years, his father, John Marshall Clemens, had significant interaction with slaves. Newly discovered court records show the senior Clemens in his role as...