This life of Benjamin Silliman is thoroughly researched, persuasively argued, and eminently readable. Brown has crafted an exquisite work. He has given us the life of a relatively obscure American and made it relevant, vivid and immediate. The reader comes away with a detailed picture of Silliman and, perhaps most importantly, a poignant understanding of the milieu in which Silliman lived--this is exceptional biography and brilliant history.