The Life of John Ledyard, the American Traveller: Comprising Selections from His Journals and Correspondence

In the 177 years since it was first published, Jared Sparks' biography of John Ledyard remains the best source on the life of the explorer who has come to be referred to as "America's Marco Polo." The book was the culmination of ten years of effort and travel on the part of Sparks and it set a precedent in historical research. Sparks would go on to be a Harvard professor, serve as that college's president, and write and edit many other works on great Americans. Today he is included in any "Who's Who" volume of American history.