It was most fortuitous that on his first visit to Charleston John James Audubon would meet John Bachman, a Lutheran clergyman and naturalist. Their chance encounter in 1831 and immediate friendship profoundly affected the careers and social ties of these two men. In this elegantly written book, Jay Shuler offers the first in-depth portrayal of the Bachman-Audubon relationship and its significance in the creation of Audubon's works.

In the numerous writings celebrating Audubon, Bachman has been largely ignored, writes Shuler, "though Bachman made substantive contributions to Audubon's...