A Great Improvisation

In "A Great Improvisation," Pulitzer Prize winner Stacy Schiff explores Benjamin Franklin's critical eight-year mission in France during the American Revolution. At seventy years old and with little diplomatic experience, Franklin navigates a treacherous political landscape to secure support for the struggling colonies, all while outmaneuvering British intelligence. Drawing from a wealth of little-known primary sources, Schiff presents a captivating portrait of Franklin as a resourceful and human figure in America’s quest for independence, highlighting the fragile and improvisational nature of the nation's early diplomatic efforts.