There's Not a Bathing Suit in Russia: & Other Bare Facts

by Will Rogers

"If you like the following subjects you will just love this Mary Garden, Aviation, Vodka, Bathing Bareback, Whiskers, long ones , Propaganda, all sorts , Free Love, Bombs, Grand Dukes & Princesses, and 21 o ther wrong ways to run a country ." -- from the Forward

"There's Not a Bathing Suit in Russia & Other Bare Facts" by Will Rogers is a witty and entertaining collection of observations and musings by the beloved American humorist. Written during the 1920s and 30s, the book offers a unique perspective on the political and social issues of the time, as well as a glimpse into the mind of one of the most celebrated comedians of the 20th century. Filled with clever anecdotes and clever turns of phrase, "There's Not a Bathing Suit in Russia & Other Bare Facts" is a must-read for fans of Will Rogers and anyone looking for a good laugh.

About the Will Rogers, was an American actor, vaudeville performer, and humorous social commentator. He was a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and is often referred to as "Oklahoma's Favorite Son". While he began his career as a cowboy performing in Wild West shows across the U.S., he eventually transitioned to vaudeville, where he became known for his wit and clever one-liners. He famously said that he "never met a man he didn't like" and from his syndicated news column, he became one of the most widely read and respected commentators of his time.

ebook

Published February 1, 2026

About the author

People noted wry homespun commentary of American humorist William Penn Adair Rogers, known as Will, on society and politics.

This Cherokee cowboy, comedian, vaudeville performer, and actor fathered Will Rogers Jr., the congressman and veteran of World War II.

A mother bore Rogers, known as favorite son of Oklahoma, into a prominent family. This world-famous figure traveled around the world three times, made 50 silent films and 21 "talkie" movies, and wrote more than four thousand nationally-syndicated newspaper columns.

The American people adored Rogers, the top-paid movie star in Hollywood at the time before the mid-1930s. Rogers died with aviator Wiley Post, whose small airplane crashed near Barrow, Alaska territory.

Reviews

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rogers was a comedian, known as the "Cowboy Philosopher," and this is a mixture of comic observation delivered in a down-home manner with actually insightful reflections on Russia. His introduction says that everyone has been writing about Russia lately, and the difference with this book is that he doesn't claim to know anything about the topic, but he's being too modest; he actually went there (unlike some of the contemporary pundits he pokes fun at), and has some thoughts that still resonate today.

The Russian revolution was still relatively recent at the time, and he first discusses the Russian refugees he encountered in Paris. All of them claimed to be dukes or higher, and his reflection is that they obviously hadn't had those positions based on any merit, since they're doing menial jobs and not even doing them very well. No wonder Russia was in a mess if they were in charge.

On the other hand, he skewers socialists for being much better at giving speeches and publishing newspapers than they are at running anything. Nobody could run a country the size of Russia very well, and they aren't doing so. This isn't entirely their fault, but if someone isn't good at something, they should admit it and leave off, is his opinion. Not to mention: "We all know a lot of things that would be good for our Country, but we wouldent want to go so far as propose that everybody start shooting each other till we got them. A fellow shouldent have to kill anybody just to prove they are right." Something that more and more people in today's America should probably be reminded of.

The first section, where he's clowning around and being satirical and describing his journey before he gets to Russia, is less interesting than his observations after he gets there, but it is fun in its own way. The whole thing is short, and well worth reading.

[Ronald J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book since Suzanne Massie recommended it to president Ronald Reagan, during the time she was unofficially advising him on the USSR (see her book, Trust but Verify). It’s based on Will Rogers visit to the USSR in 1926. The first half of the book is plodding and rather dull, and I almost gave up on it. He admits “Nobody knows anything about Russia.” It’s a complex country. One observation he does make during the first half of the book, which details his trip getting to Russia, by air. He predicts: “The next war is going to be all in the air.” And Europe was far ahead of the USA in passenger air travel (and it’s remarkable how primitive it was). Once he gets to Russia, his observations are incredibly interesting, even though he hooks up with Walter Duranty of the New York Times, labeling him a “fine congenial little fellow and a godsend to visiting English or Americans.” He describes the Americans he met that were visiting who are very enthusiastic about Communism, and points out “but they all go back home.” He had an open mind going there, wanting to learn more about 130,000,000 million trying to form a more perfect society. He read Karl Marx. He makes some great economic observations about poverty, factories full of rusted out machinery, food prices, farm production, unemployment, high taxes, and 90% of the population were farmers and still couldn’t feed themselves. He compares life to a Peasant in feudal times, except the Peasant’s Landlord paid the taxes. He says, “It seems the whole idea of Communism…is based on propaganda and blood.” He’s too much of a cheerleader of Mussolini for my taste, but relative to Stalin (and Lenin who was dead when he visited), it’s somewhat understandable.

But he makes this observation, which finally explained why Massie recommended this book to Reagan, who was intensely interested in religion in the USSR. Here’s Rogers:

“But now we are going to get down to the real thing as to whether they can really last or not, and that is religion.

…Practically all of them were devout members of the Russian Orthodox Church. …the Communist Party (600,000 members) are all atheists.

You can’t belong to the Party and belong to any Church.

A fellow shouldn’t have to kill anybody just to prove they are right.

Do anything in this world but monkey with somebody else’s religion. What reasoning of conceit makes anyone things theirs is right?

…they picked the only one thing I know of to suppress that is absolutely necessary to run a Country on, and that is Religion. Never mind what kind; but it’s got to be something or you will fail at the finish.”


Being the wit he was, he ended on this P.S.:

“Now I have told you all about Russia, but the best way I can describe Russia to you is, Russian men wear their shirts hanging outside their pants. WELL ANY NATION THAT DON’T KNOW ENOUGH TO STICK THEIR SHIRT TAILL IN WILL NEVER GET ANYWHERE.”

Safe to say Will Rogers was one of the few who predicted the fall of the USSR.


Notable
Like the old Rooster when he brought out the Ostrich egg and showed it to all the hens and said, “I am not criticizing, but I just want you to know what others are doing.”