I just read this wonderful book about the Burr Conspiracy which just came out last December. It goes into scholarly detail on an interesting incident of history in 1806-7. Burr, of killing Hamilton in a duel fame, traveled to the west amid a flurry of rumors that he was attempting to get the western states to succeed from the union. He had a small band of men that was dispersed by local militia and he was brought before a grand jury. He was acquitted of the charge of treason and afterwards left the US for Europe. After some years Burr returns to the US to an obscure law practice.
The book sheds light on how information flowed in the early US without any modern communications. It spread suprisingly fast via letters and word of mouth. It shows some of the difficulties President Jefferson had in separating truth from falsehoods and the interesting way letter writers tried to uphold their honor while spreading stories they were unsure of. An interesting glimpse into the early American republic. Any fan of history will enjoy this book.
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