A 19th Century Jack of Many Trades

I had the pleasure to assist (in a small way) author Stephen Grant in some of his research for "Peter Strickland: New London Shipmaster, Boston Mechant, First Consul to Senegal."

The result is a fascinating read regardless of whether your interests are the 19^th century trans-Atlantic trade, the U.S. diplomatic corps, French West Africa – or all of the above and more.

Captain Strickland (1837-1921) may have been consigned to the dustbin of history had Grant not purchased an envelope on eBay that was mailed in 1889 from Boston to Strickland in French West Africa, where he served as the first American consul.

From his office on former slave island of Gorée (which Grant visited several times while researching the book), Strickland represented American commercial interests in French West Africa for 20 tumultuous years, and the author mines the daily journals that he kept from age 19 until his death to great effect.

You can purchase "Peter Strickland" at Amazon. Just click here.