Ron Chernow on Mark Twain

Mark Twain was America’s first literary celebrity, a master of his craft whose legacy hangs over the entirety of the American literary tradition. Twain’s words captured the nation’s imagination because the life he led touched on so many aspects of the American experience. He wrote about racism, war, and the country’s western frontier as well as its growing urban centers because he, a Civil War-era Missouri steamboat captain turned journalist, witnessed firsthand the growth and turmoil of the United States in the 19th century. Acclaimed biographer Ron Chernow sits down with David Rubenstein to discuss the complex life of the American literary giant.