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 Wolfe 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 this episode of the History Extra podcast, Andrea introduces Spencer Mizen to a life that reads like an adventure story. Andrea, it's a real pleasure to welcome you to the History Extra podcast today to talk about your new book, The Traveler. Now, the Traveler in question is the

naturalist, ethnographer, travel writer and revolutionary George Forster. Forster was born in a small village near Danzig in 1754 and died in Paris in 1794 and in between packed in the most extraordinary life. So With that in mind, Andrea, what was it that attracted you to Forrester, that made you think, I really need to write a book about this guy? Well, first of all, I think his life, and we're going to talk about that later, his life literally reads like an adventure story.

I mean, he just packs in. He's he only he's only 39 when he dies, but he packs in so much, so many places. I mean, from cannibalism and the Maoris. to the kind of bloodied blade of the guillotine in Paris. He meets absolutely everybody, from Benjamin Franklin to Germany's most famous poet, Goethe.

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