This volume presents the true history of John James Audubon, beginning with his birth in Haiti in 1785 and his upbringing in France under the care of his father, Lieutenant Jean Audubon, and an indulgent stepmother. New documentary evidence clarifies the mysteries surrounding his parentage and early life, correcting long-held romantic myths.
The narrative follows young Audubon to America in 1803, where he settled on the Mill Grove farm near Philadelphia. There, his passion for nature and wildlife blossomed as he began his pioneer studies of American birds and met Lucy Bakewell, who later became his devoted wife. The book details his business failures on the frontier, his partnership with Ferdinand Rozier, and the financial complications surrounding the farm's lead mine.
After years of wandering through the American South and West, struggling against poverty and the destruction of his drawings by rodents, Audubon finally decided to take his art to Europe. The volume closes on the eve of his voyage to England in 1826, where he sought patronage and publication for his masterwork, The Birds of America.
Throughout the text, the author reveals Audubon's complex personality—his determination, his artistic growth, and his unwavering dedication to recording the natural history of his adopted country. The biography relies heavily on primary sources, including letters, legal records, and Audubon's own journals, to construct an accurate account of his remarkable life.
