The Statesman and the Storyteller: John Hay, Mark Twain, and the Rise of American Imperialism by Mark Zwonitzer. It explores the parallel lives of John Hay, who was a private secretary to President Lincoln and later a Secretary of State, and Mark Twain, a famous American author. The book is set during the rise of the United States as a world power and examines their shared history and perspectives on American imperialism. James McBride, author of The Good Lord Bird, is quoted on the cover, describing the book as moving and compelling