Tough times lay ahead for Mark Twain in part nine of our series on the legendary humorist. Somewhere along the way, Sam Clemens got it into his head that he was a businessman, but nothing could be further from the truth, and none of his business deals would yield any profits. He would tell the press that he was taking his family to Europe for his wife's health, but the truth was that the US dollar could go further abroad. For nine years, the Clemens family would live in exile, before Sam would finally decide to pay off his debts by going on a worldwide lecture tour... But the tough times would be far from over. We're in the home-stretch: tune in for part nine of Mark Twain to learn more! (Ep. 069)

In part eight of our series on the godfather of American comedy, Mark Twain, we finally get into the development and publishing of his most famous novel: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The book was considered controversial upon release (and continues to be), so we take plenty of time to examine its impact. Though he still possesses a knack for writing, times are getting tough for Sam Clemens as his continued failures in the world of business lead further down the path of financial ruin. Tune in the part eight of Mark Twain to learn more! (Ep. 068)

In part seven of our series on the incomparable Mark Twain, the godfather of American comedy finally publishes one of his most seminal works: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Though the book is largely praised by critics, its initial sales are disappointing. Seeking new inspiration, Twain soon decides to take his family on an extended trip through Europe. The journey lasts seventeen months and provides enough material for him to publish another travel book, A Tramp Abroad. Once back in the United States, Twain eventually sets out on another trip, this time alone, traveling up and down the Mississippi River. It is from this journey that he finds the inspiration for two of his most respected works: Life on the Mississippi and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Tune in to part seven of our Mark Twain series to learn more! (Ep. 067)

As we press on with the life of Mark Twain, trouble starts to brew in the early years of the 1870s. Some personal tragedy will strike the Clemens family, and Sam will experience some of his first true professional failures. Regardless, Sam and his true-love, Livy, remain hopelessly in love, and their family will continue to grow. Through the tragedies, however, Sam's ever-increasingly nostalgic brain will receive the first sparks of creativity that will ultimately lead to the creation of both The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and Adventures of HuckleberryFinn. Tune in for part six of Mark Twain to learn more! (Ep. 066)

In part five of our series on Mark Twain, the author is officially back stateside after a trip through Europe and the “Holy Land.” From these experiences, he would write his first novel, The Innocents Abroad; or, The New Pilgrim’s Progress — a smash hit that fundamentally changed the fabric of American literature. He would also launch a new lecture series called American Vandal that would receive widespread critical acclaim and send shockwaves of controversy throughout America. It would also be around this time that Mark Twain would meet the true love of his life, a beautiful and brilliant woman named Olivia Langdon. Tune in for part five of Mark Twain to learn more! (Ep. 065)

As we continue our series, we witness the steady rise of legendary author and orator, Mark Twain, following the publication of his famous short story The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. After a trip to the Sandwich Islands (later known as Hawaii), Twain takes to the stage before making his way from San Francisco to New York. It’s in New York that he meets the massively influential preacher and theologian, Henry Ward Beecher, who is planning the world’s first pleasure cruise. Quick to buy a ticket, Twain later uses the story of his excursion as the basis for his first major hit: The Innocents Abroad, or The New Pilgrim’s Progress. Tune in for part four of Mark Twain to learn more! (Ep. 064)

The American Civil War has officially begun! In part three of our series on Mark Twain, we see the not-yet-writer briefly join the Missouri State Guard before fleeing west with his brother. After a few failed business attempts and an accidental case of arson, Sam Clemens lands a job as a journalist, and officially takes up the pen-name of Mark Twain. His popularity as a journalist increased over time, eventually leading him to San Francisco and the high-life that the city offered. Eventually, however, Sam's pocketbook would run dry, and to avoid a debt collector, he would lay low in a small cabin outside Sonora, California. It would be here that Sam would hear the story of a certain jumping frog in Calaveras County that he would soon thereafter turn into his first national smash-hit. Tune in to part three of Mark Twain to learn more! (Ep. 063)

In part two of our series on Samuel Clemens (a.k.a. Mark Twain), we follow young Sam as he enters the working world, becoming a typesetter’s apprentice in his hometown of Hannibal. His small town couldn’t hold him for long, however, and he soon hit the road, traveling around the East Coast of the United States. Eventually, Sam began to pursue a career as a steamboat pilot, spending countless hours navigating up and down the mighty Mississippi River. It was around this time that he started keeping a regular journal, noting the sights and sounds along the river and cataloging his ever-evolving wit and moral compass. But tragedy would soon strike (no spoilers!), followed not long after by the outbreak of the American Civil War. Tune in for part two of Mark Twain as we continue exploring this fascinating life! (Ep. 062)

In series 12 of The Biographers, we're talking about one of the truest titans of American literature to ever put pen to paper: Mark Twain. Given the name Samuel Langhorne Clemens at birth in the pre-Civil War era of America, our next subject would grow up in a time of slavery, witness its abolition, and grow to become an outspoken opponent of racism. His childhood was often times idyllic, but was not without its moments of extreme trauma and tragedy. Thankfully, literacy was on the rise, and through the magic of books, young Sammy Clemens was able to find an escape from the drudgery and sadness of his youth, and forge some unforgettable friendships. His childhood would abruptly come to an end, however, and at just 12 years old he would enter the workforce. Tune in for part 1 of Mark Twain to learn more! (Ep. 061)

It's time for another laid-back episode of Office Hours! A bit of nonsense as usual, chatting about mini vans, how they are superior to SUVs, and how trucks are worst, but we also talk a lot about corrections and answers to questions from the past series on Alexandre Dumas. We're relaxing this week, but will be back in two weeks as we start up a monster series on the legendary Mark Twain!

In the final episode of our series, we cover the last years of General Alexandre Dumas. With the smoldering wreck of The Orient sinking in Aboukir Bay, Dumas and his men abandoned their military charge and were reduced to a single objective: survive. With the help of Napoleon's band of academic geniuses, the French armies were stabilized, and the world's first institute of Egyptology was established. After putting down a revolt in Cairo, Dumas set sail for home, only to discover that the ship he had boarded was falling apart at sea. When he and his men were forced to dock in Italy, they were greeted by an unexpected host — an encounter that would later inspire his son to write The Count of Monte Cristo. Upon finally returning to France, Dumas realized that it was no longer the republic he had left behind, and his many years as a soldier would soon begin to catch up with him. Tune in to our final episode on General Alexandre Dumas to bid this hero a fond farewell! (Ep. 060)

In part four of Alexandre Dumas, we cover General Dumas's time under the command of Napoleon Bonaparte. Dumas would be sent to engage the "unwindable" parts of France, laying siege to the city of Mantua, and recovering a secret letter just in time to save his troops, but would have his named wiped from the newspapers by a jealous Napoleon. Demoted for “insubordination,” Alexandre went on to lead a subdivision in pursuit of the Austrians through the northern mountains of Italy. Personal tragedy fueled his rage, and Austrian soldiers gave him the bitter moniker “The Black Devil.” After an unbelievable shootout on the Bridge of Tyrol, Dumas would be sent on a secret expedition before a massive armada set sail for the sands of Egypt. Here, Alexandre would begin to truly understand the dangerous ego of the infamous Napoleon Bonaparte. Tune in for part four to learn more! (Ep. 059)

In part three of our series on Alexandre Dumas, we see the French Revolution enter phase two with the arrival of the Reign of Terror, led by the infamous Maximilien Robespierre. During this turbulent period, Alexandre earned a reputation as a commander with a remarkable ability to transform undisciplined troops into effective fighting forces — a skill that eventually elevated him to the rank of General. However, his rise was not without hardship. The French armies suffered heavy casualties under the rule of a government that had recently adopted the guillotine to dole out punishment. Through it all, Alexandre remained principled, denouncing the regime's bloodthirsty tactics while staying loyal to a country determined to see its revolution through. Tune in to part three of our series on Alexandre Dumas to learn more! (Ep. 058)

In part two of our series on the legendary French soldier Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, we witness the rise of a humble soldier as he climbs the ranks of the newly established national military during the early days of the French Revolution. After famine ravaged the population, France was in turmoil and hungry for change, leading the people to overthrow their king and establish the first democratic nation in modern Europe. Soon, Austria threatened to crush the French uprising, and Alexandre's battalion was stationed in a small town in the French countryside. It was there that he would fall in love—and despite being a person of color in a time when racism was still rampant—he was granted the hand of his beloved. But the French Revolution was only in its infancy, and Alexandre would soon be called upon to help command France’s first all-Black legion of soldiers. Tune in for part two of Alexandre Dumas to learn more! (Ep. 056)

We're back, and it's officially time to start up Series 11! For this series, we're getting back to our roots by discussing a person most people have never heard of. While many do know the name "Alexandre Dumas" — author of classic stories like The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers — most probably don't know that his father was actually the real-life inspiration for those classic adventure stories. That's right: we're not talking about Alexandre Dumas (Jr.), but rather his father. Born into slavery in Haiti, Alexandre Dumas (Sr.) would be no stranger to hardship throughout his early life, witnessing the sale of his entire family whom he would never see again. As a teenager, he found himself living the life of an aristocrat in Paris, rapidly receiving an education and learning the art of fencing, all before denouncing his deplorable father's family name and enlisting in the French military. Tune in for part one of our series on Alexandre Dumas Sr. to learn more — this is a story you really have to hear to believe! (Ep. 056)

It's time for another episode of Office Hours, but this one will be slightly different, in that Akiva is out of town! Don't worry -- he'll be back next time, but this means today's episode of Office Hours will be short and sweet.

In the conclusion episode of our series on the Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa, we take a look at the darker days of his life and the deeds that earned him the oft-overlooked reputation of a villain. Despite many of the initial goals of the Mexican Revolution being achieved, Pancho continued to fight, even as most of his army dwindled away. In the final years of his life, he committed some of his most heinous acts, making vengeful enemies who would ultimately become his assassins. Tune in for part five of Pancho Villa to decide for yourself whether this legendary figure of the Mexican Revolution was a hero or a villain. (Ep. 055)

In part four of our series on Pancho Villa, we witness Pancho rise to become the single most powerful person in the country of Mexico, after the notorious Victoriano Huerta is finally overthrown. The revolutionaries were victorious in their task, but the various leaders of the revolution couldn't seem to find a compromise on how to move the nation forward, which then led to a civil war breaking out between them. The third phase of the Mexican Revolution was about to kick off, and Pancho was about to discover that he wasn't quite as invincible as he had previously thought. Join us for part four of our series as we continue to unpack the fascinating character of Pancho Villa. (Ep. 054)

In part three of our series on Pancho Villa, we explore an often-forgotten tragedy in world history known as La Decena Trágica (The Ten Tragic Days), during which the first phase of the Mexican Revolution comes to a swift and violent end. From the chaos, a new dictator emerges — Victoriano Huerta — who is so despised by the people that a song is composed to immortalize his loathsome character. The people of Mexico do not accept this new dictator lying down, however, as a new revolutionary leader, Venustiano Carranza, steps up to the plate and soon recruits Pancho Villa to serve as his main General. Tune in to part three of Pancho Villa to learn more about this exciting and little-known chapter of history! (Ep. 053)

In part two of our series on Pancho Villa, the Mexican Revolution officially begins! Though an unlikely candidate, Pancho quickly becomes a high-ranking officer in the revolutionary army and displays his uncanny abilities in guerrilla warfare. But even after the revolution gains steam and wins some key victories, all is not well in Mexico, and the political climate continues to complicate things. Soon, Pancho finds himself in the position of an outlaw once again, and the fighting in Mexico continues. Tune in to Pancho Villa part 2 to learn more! (Ep. 052)