Beaumarchais and the War of American Independence, Vol. 2

A biographical narrative follows a prominent public figure and playwright who clandestinely aided the American cause, describing intelligence missions, commercial arrangements to supply arms and personnel, negotiations with ministers and foreign agents, legal and financial disputes over contracts and settlements, and his theatrical career including creation and staging of a controversial comedy. The book draws on correspondence and official records to show political maneuvering, collaboration with overseas representatives, rivalries and betrayals, and the personal consequences of revolution, exile, and return.