C.R. Hurst's Blog, page 3

The Commander

Louis-Antoine de Bougainville, the commander of the first French circumnavigation of the world.

Now Available for Preorder

Odyssey, Book Two of A Life of Jeanne Baret, will be published on Amazon September 6, 2025.

Now Published on Amazon!

If you are looking for a heroine well worth rooting for, look no further . . .

Discover Jeanne Baret, the first woman to sail around the world. Born in 18th-century France, Jeanne seems destined for a life as an ordinary peasant – a short one of hard work and mere subsistence. However, early tragedy drives her to seek a life beyond any peasant’s wildest imaginings. Curious and daring, she becomes the student, teacher, and lover of one of France’s most eminent botanists, Philibert Commerson. With him, she explores Paris and meets some of the Enlightenment’s most influential thinkers. When Commerson is chosen to sail with France’s first circumnavigation of the world, Jeanne joins him as his assistant – disguised as a boy. Together they embark on a remarkable and dangerous journey, creating one of history’s strangest and most compelling true stories.

Bonus Material: The short story prequel to my Jane Digby’s Diary series is included.

Daughter of Eve is Book One of the two-part series, Round the World: A Life of Jeanne Baret. Book Two, Odyssey, will be published in 2025.

Discover More About Jeanne Baret

Jeanne Baret’s place of birth, La Comelle, France.

Jean De Bonnefoy

A 19th-century illustration of Jeanne Baret.

Round the World

Le Procope

Paris’ famed coffee house remains in operation to this day. Jeanne tried her disguise on for size here in Round the World.

Voltaire, Author of Candide

Largillierre, Nicolas de (1656-10-10 – 1746-03-20), Portrait de Voltaire (1694-1778)

Jardin De Roi

A 1788 garden plan sketch of The King’s Garden.

Monsieur Leclerc

Georges Leclerc (later Comte de Buffon) is head of The King’s Garden. He hires Commerson as his chief botanist.