Friday, we’re telling the story of what author Richard Zacks calls Mark Twain’s “raucous and redemptive round-the-world comedy tour.” Twain was once America’s highest paid writer, but he was also a remarkably bad businessman. In 1895, with his career on the rocks and with what today would be millions in debt, Twain embarked on a 5-continent speaking tour he hoped would save him. Zacks joins Doug to talk about Twain’s wildly popular humor, his missteps, and what drove his quest for redemption. (Rebroadcast)
Richard Zacks is a journalist and author. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, and Harper's Magazine among many others. His books include Island of Vice: Theodore Roosevelt's Quest to Clean Up Sin-Loving New York and Pirate Coast: Thomas Jefferson, the First Marines, and the Secret Mission of 1805. His latest is called Chasing the Last Laugh: Mark Twain's Raucous and Redemptive Round-the-World Comedy Tour [Indiebound|Amazon|Audible]
