home, and a deal he didn't look for and wasn't expecting, it was napoleon gaving it to the country, horatio gates, hero of the revolution, said there's an air of enchantment to it and alexander hamilton, jefferson's great rival -- this is just shortly before he was killed in a duel -- but hamilton wrote that clearly this was a sign of divine providence no other explanation. now, partially he would rather give credit to god than tom that jefferson, his rival, but still the story depends upon about 15 different things happening in a very peculiar way and then, boom, the result is this. one thing that happened in a peculiar way was the only time in all of human history, in the 5,000 years where we have pretty good historical record -- only one has there been a slave rebellion that was successful. in haiti. and what i talk about in the book is the way that slave rebellion forced bonaparte's hand and led to this huge tract of land being essentially given the united states of america. >> my more contemporary examples of divine providence as you call it? >> guest: there are. not in this book but i