American Political Biography

Of all the Americans who became renowned for expeditions to the West, few were as famous - or infamous - as John Charles Fremont, whose work produced some of the region’s most detailed maps and propelled him to national fame. Among other things, he taught mathematics to midshipmen on a Navy warship on a long cruise off South America, served as governor of two states and a Senator for one, was court-martialed for insubordination, issued the first emancipation proclamation, and eloped with the daughter of a powerful U.S. Senator.

Evan Galbraith represented America in Paris for four years during the Reagan administration, and here paints a vivid picture of the life of an American ambassador in the grand and glamorous city. Notwithstanding his popularity as a host (he opened up the U.S. embassy to more than 75,000 guests at over 500 events during his stay), Galbraith was often controversial.