On October 2, 1866 Mark Twain invented stand up comedy, or as he called it "platform speaking." He did not enjoy "mounting the platform" but by 1895 the famous author of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn was in debt from bas investments and publicly disgraced due to his bankruptcy. So to pay off his mountain of debts and restore his good name he embarked on a world wide lecture tour.

I just finished reading this wonderful book by Richard Zacks called "Chasing The Last Laugh." It is all about Mark Twain's World Tour and the circumstances that created it. In this episode I read you the highlights and talk about the remarkable moments he experienced as a performer and world traveler. Mark Twain had a nasty temper, his mood swings were hard on those around him and he had the worst sense of business instincts but he also is one of the most quotable humans who ever lived, had a moral sense of injustice and created some of the most loved characters in the history of literature. I enjoyed this book so much I couldn't wait to tell you about it. In this episode I will tell you about the hardships, heartbreaks and the redemptive healing power of laughter that he experienced at the last period of his life. This tribute is also peppered with some of Mark Twain's best lines like "If Christ were here now, there is one thing he would not be - A Christian." Fill your brain with this powerful knowledge now, enjoy!

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