Scientist Turned Spy

André Michaux was one of the most accomplished scientific explorers of North America before Lewis and Clark.  But there is more to his story. During his decade-long American sojourn, Michaux found himself thrust into the middle of a vast international conspiracy. In his new book, Patrick Spero sheds new light on an incipient American political climate that fostered reckless diplomatic ventures under the guise of scientific exploration, revealing the air of uncertainty and opportunity that pervaded the early republic.