Cannibalism, heartbreak and Madame Guillotine: George Forster's extraordinary life

He sailed to Antarctica with Captain Cook, rubbed shoulders with Benjamin Franklin and helped found a revolutionary republic. It’s little wonder, then, that Andrea Wulf describes George Forster – the 18th-century traveller, botanist and champion of human rights – as “one of the most fascinating figures you've never heard of”. In conversation with Spencer Mizen, Andrea explores a life that reads like an adventure story.

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If you'd like to hear Andrea Wulf discuss the life of another German polymath, then check out our podcast interview with her about Alexander von Humboldt, who influenced generations of scientists, including Charles Darwin: bit.ly/3PVrppU

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