John Fabian Witt is a Professor of Law at Yale Law School. He is the author of numerous works on the history of American law and torts, and is currently focusing on the laws of war. Before joining Zócalo to explain the turning point of international law development during the Mexican War in the 1840s, he joined us in our Green Room for a few questions.
Q. What’s the last thing that made you laugh really hard?
A. My son, Teddy.
Q. If you could spend a night in any museum, which would it be?
A. The Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History in Connecticut.
Q. Who do you think is the most unsung hero in history?
A. Francis Lieber. He wrote and created the modern laws of war during the American Civil War.
Q. What’s your favorite holiday and why?
A. Easter, for the egg hunting.
Q. How are you different now from ten years ago?
A. I don’t have any time.
Q. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
A. You’re not a good baseball player.
Q. What item would you bid for on Ebay?
A. A bamboo fly rod.
Q. What’s something that few people know about you?
A. I’m an avid fly fisherman.
Q. What’s your favorite cocktail?
A. Grenache, a red wine.
Q. What music did you listen to today?
A. My son Gus playing ABC and Happy birthday on the piano.
Q. If you could have a profession in another life, what would it be?
A. Fly fishing guide.
Q. What’s one thing that you’ve been meaning to throw away but haven’t been able to?
A. Notes from my dissertation about Industrial Accident Law.
Q. What’s your favorite word?
A. Extraordinary.
Q. What’s the one promise you’ve made to yourself that you break the most often?
A. That I’ll go fishing this year.
Q. Who would write your biography?
A. Bill Deverell, director of the Huntington-USC Institute on California and the West.
Q. What’s your favorite part of academia?
A. Teaching.
To read more about John’s lecture, please click here.
*Photo by Aaron Salcido.