Mark Twain Was a Terrible Investor, Part One: The Legend of "Josh"

Mark Twain Was a Terrible Investor, Part One:...

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CLASSIC: History's Weirdest Flexes, Part One

Do you know anyone who decided to show off in a weird way? While the phrase 'weird flex' may be relatively recent, it turns out that this phenomenon is as old as human civilization. Join the guys with special guests Miles and Jack from The Daily Zeitgeist as they explore some of ...  Show more

The Bizarre Parable of New Coke, Chapter Two: A Rise. A Fall. A Conspiracy?

Back in the 1980s, Coca-Cola -- for reasons the public still can't agree on -- rolled out a controversial new formulation of their legendary, still-secret cola recipe. Public backlash in the south (and, weirdly enough, Monaco of all places) prompted a quick retraction, and a load ...  Show more

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Great American Authors | Mark Twain: Voice of a Nation | 3
American History Tellers

In the late 1850s, a young man named Samuel Clemens started out piloting steamboats on the Mississippi River. Within a few years, he embarked on a writing career, adopting the pen name that became famous: Mark Twain. Armed with a wry sense of humor and a natural flair for stor ...

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Mark Twain
Historical Figures

Most people know Mark Twain as one of America’s most popular writers and humorists. Some even know that as a young man, he was a Riverboat pilot. But did you know that during the Civil War, he volunteered for the war effort to fight for the South? Learn more about your ad choices ...  Show more

CLASSIC: Did John Astor steal Captain Kidd's treasure?
Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

German immigrant John Jacob Astor was the first multimillionaire in the United States, and his descendants would go on to play prominent roles in the country's history -- but how exactly did he get this enormous fortune? According to the official story, he started off in the fur ...  Show more

Hope Jahren Expands on Mark Twain
The Book Case

Every so often, a new author tackles the work of expanding a classic novel to expand its reach. Even more rarely, they succeed beautifully. This week’s book, Adventures of Mary Jane is just such a rare gem. Mary Jane's author, Hope Jahren, is a scientist (a geochemist, no less) w ...  Show more