Ron Chernow

Well, I'm so curious if you were alive today, if I can get to ask you a question. If I was alive today? That with Mark Twain, there was just no filter whatsoever. There was no kind of political correctness. He really felt as a satirist that everything was fair game.

Well, I'm so curious if you were alive today, if I can get to ask you a question. If I was alive today? That with Mark Twain, there was just no filter whatsoever. There was no kind of political correctness. He really felt as a satirist that everything was fair game.

Well, I'm so curious if you were alive today, if I can get to ask you a question. If I was alive today? That with Mark Twain, there was just no filter whatsoever. There was no kind of political correctness. He really felt as a satirist that everything was fair game.

So that, for instance, you know, when he wrote his first book, which turned out to be his bestselling book called The Innocents Abroad, you know, he went with these tourists, kind of early tourist crews to Europe and the Holy Land. And he's just sounding off on all these things there in Italy. and he's making jokes about dwarves.

So that, for instance, you know, when he wrote his first book, which turned out to be his bestselling book called The Innocents Abroad, you know, he went with these tourists, kind of early tourist crews to Europe and the Holy Land. And he's just sounding off on all these things there in Italy. and he's making jokes about dwarves.

So that, for instance, you know, when he wrote his first book, which turned out to be his bestselling book called The Innocents Abroad, you know, he went with these tourists, kind of early tourist crews to Europe and the Holy Land. And he's just sounding off on all these things there in Italy. and he's making jokes about dwarves.

He said, you know, if you want to see, you know, dwarves retail, go to Milan. If you want to see dwarves wholesale, go to Genoa. You know, all of these different things. Well, no one today would dare to make these sorts of jokes. And he really felt that the whole world was his, you know, field for humor.

He said, you know, if you want to see, you know, dwarves retail, go to Milan. If you want to see dwarves wholesale, go to Genoa. You know, all of these different things. Well, no one today would dare to make these sorts of jokes. And he really felt that the whole world was his, you know, field for humor.

He said, you know, if you want to see, you know, dwarves retail, go to Milan. If you want to see dwarves wholesale, go to Genoa. You know, all of these different things. Well, no one today would dare to make these sorts of jokes. And he really felt that the whole world was his, you know, field for humor.

And I wonder how he would function today, you know, where we're much more sensitive, you know, about... offending different groups.

And I wonder how he would function today, you know, where we're much more sensitive, you know, about... offending different groups.

And I wonder how he would function today, you know, where we're much more sensitive, you know, about... offending different groups.

Yeah, you know, Mark Twain is a type of writer almost inconceivable today. He had no inhibitions. He felt no need to have any inhibitions.

Yeah, you know, Mark Twain is a type of writer almost inconceivable today. He had no inhibitions. He felt no need to have any inhibitions.

Yeah, you know, Mark Twain is a type of writer almost inconceivable today. He had no inhibitions. He felt no need to have any inhibitions.

Very puritanical about sex.

Very puritanical about sex.

Very puritanical about sex.

Yeah, no, absolutely. I mean, this is kind of a good example of kind of the difference between things were perceived then and now. Because he collects, and that was the term that he used, that he collected a dozen of these girls. He called them his angelfish. They became members of his aquarium club.

Yeah, no, absolutely. I mean, this is kind of a good example of kind of the difference between things were perceived then and now. Because he collects, and that was the term that he used, that he collected a dozen of these girls. He called them his angelfish. They became members of his aquarium club.