Noble American Lives: Biographies of America's Religious Thinkers and Believers

Host William H. Benson introduces Noble American Lives Podcast episode 151 (July 7, 2026) and his book series pairing American religious "thinkers" and "believers," then continues the Billy Graham biography from Mark Twain versus Billy Graham. Graham attacks communism and builds his core team (Cliff Barrows, George Beverly Shea, Grady Wilson) while reluctantly becoming (absentee) president of Nort...

Host William H. Benson introduces episode 150 of the Noble American Lives podcast and his book series pairing American religious thinkers and believers, then continues his biography of Billy Graham. The script covers Billy's engagement to Ruth Bell, their conflicts over denomination, mission ambitions, and his insistence on leading, followed by their 1943 wedding and early marital strains amid his...

Host William H. Benson introduces episode 148 of the Noble American Lives podcast and his book series pairing American religious "thinkers" and "believers," then begins his biography of Billy Graham. The script covers Graham's 1918 birth near Charlotte, North Carolina; his Presbyterian parents Franklin and Morrow Graham, their strict religious home, and family history shaped by Civil War trauma, a...

Host William H. Benson introduces episode 147 of the Noble American Lives Podcast and continues his biography of Mark Twain from The Parallel Lives of the Noble American Religious Thinkers and Believers: Mark Twain versus Billy Graham, with subscription and book information plus a copyright notice. The script recounts Twain's declining health in early 1910, his return from Bermuda to die at Stormf...

In episode 146 of the Noble American Lives podcast (June 3, 2026), William H. Benson continues his biography of Mark Twain from The Parallel Lives of the Noble American Religious Thinkers and Believers: Mark Twain versus Billy Graham, reviewing the series' earlier paired biographies and noting book and newsletter information. The script highlights Twain's anti-imperialist writings, especially "The...

Host William H. Benson introduces episode 145 of Noble American Lives (May 20, 2026), continuing his book biography of Mark Twain within his "Parallel Lives" series. The episode recounts Samuel Clemens' long, costly investment in James W. Paige's typesetter, which consumed about $50,000 and ultimately failed, contributing to the decline and 1894 bankruptcy of Webster & Company. Clemens' family mov...

Host William H. Benson continues his biography of Mark Twain from The Parallel Lives of the Noble American Religious Thinkers and Believers: Mark Twain versus Billy Graham. In 1882 Twain visited the dying Ralph Waldo Emerson, then traveled the Mississippi, noting postwar Southern decline and gathering material for Life on the Mississippi, published in 1883 amid a dispute with publisher James R. Os...

Host William H. Benson introduces episode 143 of Noble American Lives, continuing his biography of Mark Twain from his series The Parallel Lives of the Noble American Religious Thinkers and Believers (Mark Twain vs. Billy Graham). The script recounts Twain's 1872–1874 trips to England, his celebrity reception, lecturing for income after the Panic of 1873, and his homesickness when separated from L...

William H. Benson introduces episode 142 of the Noble American Lives Podcast and continues his copyrighted biography of Mark Twain from Benson's book series. The script recounts Twain lecturing on his Holy Land tour amid harsh clerical and press criticism, prompting him to moderate his humor, securing permission to use his Alta California letters, and writing what became Innocents Abroad, edited b...

In episode 141 of the Noble American Lives Podcast (April 21, 2026), host William H. Benson continues his copyrighted biography of Mark Twain from the book Mark Twain versus Billy Graham, describing Sam Clemens's Holy Land travels that became Innocents Abroad: moving from Damascus through Galilee (Magdala, Tiberias, Mount Tabor, Nazareth) to Jerusalem, the Jordan River, and the Dead Sea, where he...

In episode 140 of the Noble American Lives Podcast (Apr. 14, 2026), host William H. Benson continues reading his 2026-copyright biography of Mark Twain from his series Parallel Lives of the Noble American Religious Thinkers and Believers, noting earlier volumes and subscription/buy links. The excerpt follows Samuel Clemens as he contracts to send travel letters, is briefly jailed in New York, and...

Host William H. Benson introduces episode 139 of the Noble American Lives Podcast and his book series comparing American religious thinkers and believers, then continues his 2026 biography of Mark Twain. In 1864–66 Sam Clemens leaves San Francisco after signing a bond for Steve Gillis, lives at Jackass Hill, hears and writes the "Jumping Frog" tale, and gains national notice when it is published i...

Host William H. Benson introduces episode 138 of the Noble American Lives Podcast and his "Parallel Lives" book series, then begins a continued biography of Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) from his fifth book. The episode recounts the 1858 steamboat Pennsylvania boiler explosion that fatally injured Sam's brother Henry, Sam's grief, lifelong guilt, and a letter expressing despair. It follows Sam's ref...

Mark Twain's Early Years: Printing, Satire, and the River Pilot Dream William H. Benson introduces episode 137 (March 24, 2026) of the Noble American Lives Podcast and his book series The Parallel Lives of the Noble American Religious Thinkers and Believers, then begins a continued biography of Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens). After his father's death, Sam leaves school in 1848 to apprentice at Joseph...

Host William H. Benson introduces episode 136 of the Noble American Lives Podcast and his book series pairing American religious "thinkers and believers," then begins reading his 2026 biography of Mark Twain. The excerpt recounts Samuel Langhorne Clemens' parents' contrasting temperaments and a marriage marked by respect but little affection, alongside John Marshall Clemens' repeated westward move...

In episode 135, part five (the epilogue) of The Noble American Lives Podcast, William H. Benson continues reading from his fourth book comparing Harvard philosopher William James with Christian Science founder Mary Baker Eddy, within a staged group discussion featuring figures like H. L. Mencken, Mark Twain, Joseph Smith, Roger Williams, Cotton Mather, George Whitefield, Billy Graham, and Ralph Wa...

In episode 134 of the Noble American Lives Podcast (March 3, 2026), William H. Benson introduces his book series pairing American religious thinkers and believers and begins reading the comparison-and-contrast section of his fourth book on William James and Mary Baker Eddy. He outlines their origins, deaths in 1910, family backgrounds, education, health struggles, careers, marriages, parenting, in...

Episode 133 of the Noble American Lives Podcast (February 24, 2026) has host William H. Benson complete his 2026 biography of Mary Baker Eddy from his fourth book, William James Versus Mary Baker Eddy, after briefly recapping earlier paired volumes and sharing Amazon and Substack subscription notes. The reading highlights Mark Twain's critiques of Eddy's church bylaws, including replacing pastors...

Episode 132 (Feb. 17, 2026) has William H. Benson reading from his book on William James vs. Mary Baker Eddy, continuing Eddy's biography. It covers Eddy's tense 1906 press interview, Joseph Pulitzer's push for a "next friend" lawsuit alleging she was controlled, George W. Glover II's recruitment, and the influence of McClure's anti-Eddy "Milmine" series (largely written in 14 parts by Willa Cathe...

William H. Benson introduces Episode 130 and continues reading his Mary Baker Eddy biography from the William James vs. Eddy book. The script covers completion and dedication of the Mother Church, including ordaining the Bible and Science and Health as its pastor, plus later visits and speeches. It notes the Mother Church Extension and Eddy's founding of the Christian Science Monitor. It details c...

In Episode 130 of the Noble American Lives Podcast, William H. Benson narrates the profound life of Mary Baker Eddy, founder of the Church of Christ, Scientist, and contrasts it with the life of William James, a Harvard philosopher. The episode discusses Mary Baker Eddy's significant achievements, such as the establishment and growth of the Christian Science Church, the creation of the Christian S...

In this episode of the Noble American Lives Podcast, host William H. Benson continues his exploration of Mary Baker Eddy's life, as detailed in his fourth book, 'The Noble Lives of American Religious Thinkers and Believers.' From Mary's early days in Portland, Maine under the mentorship of Phineas Quimby, to her discovery of Christian Science following a significant fall in 1866, the episode cover...

In this episode of the 'Noble American Lives' podcast, host William H. Benson reads from his biography of Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Church of Christ, Scientist. The episode details Eddy's challenging life during the mid-19th century, including the loss of family members, the separation from her son, financial hardships, and her turbulent marriage to Daniel Patterson. It highlights the pe...

In this episode of the Noble American Lives Podcast, host William H. Benson reads from his book 'Parallel Lives of the Noble American Religious Thinkers and Believers.' The focus is on Mary Baker Eddy, founder of the Church of Christ, Scientist. Detailed biographical information is provided about her early life, family, health struggles, and educational background. Eddy's formative years are explo...

In episode 125 of the Noble American Lives Podcast, host William H. Benson presents a comprehensive biography of William James, an eminent American philosopher and Harvard professor. The episode delves into James' perspectives on religion, his contributions to pragmatism, and his belief in the interconnectedness of scientific and religious thought. Benson also recounts James' personal and professi...