The Signature of All Things
Books | Fiction / Historical / General
3.8
(723)
Elizabeth Gilbert
5th January 1800. At the beginning of a new century, Alma Whittaker is born into a perfect Philadelphia winter. Her father, Henry Whittaker, is a bold and charismatic botanical explorer whose vast fortune belies his lowly beginnings as a vagrant in Kew Gardens. Alma's mother, a strict woman from an esteemed Dutch family, is conversant in five living languages (and two dead ones) and her knowledge of botany is equal to any man's. An independent girl with a thirst for knowledge, it is not long before Alma comes into her own within the world of plants and science. As Alma's careful studies of moss take her deeper into the mysteries of evolution, the man she comes to love draws her in the opposite direction - into the realm of the spiritual, the divine, and the magical. Alma is a clear-minded scientist; Ambrose is a Utopian artist. But what unites this couple is a shared passion for knowing - a desperate need to understand the workings of this world and the mechanisms behind all of life. The Signature of All Things is a big novel, about a big century. It soars across the globe from London, to Peru, to Philadelphia, to Tahiti, to Amsterdam.Peopled with extraordinary characters - missionaries, abolitionists, adventurers, astronomers, sea captains, geniuses and the quite mad - most of all it has an unforgettable heroine in Alma Whittaker, a woman of the Enlightened Age who stands defiantly on the cusp of the modern.
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More Details:
Author
Elizabeth Gilbert
Pages
501
Publisher
A&C Black
Published Date
2013-01-01
ISBN
1408850117 9781408850114
Community ReviewsSee all
"I enjoyed this long story of a woman in the 19th century who spent her life pursuing botanical studies, whilst trying also to understand the nature of being human…"
Merry
"This was a deep and well written story. I enjoyed reading it."
Mary
"In fairness, I had a thought this book was going to have more actual magic and mysticism in it than it did. A long story of a sad girls life. Most of it depressed me. If it were a movie or show I may watch it but not my cup of tea for a book. No"
Sarrah Urbahn
"This book is a lovely, non-stressful, period read that feels like several books brought together. I went through ups and downs with Alma throughout the book and felt quite pleased by the end."
Isabella Elizabeth
"Historical fiction meets science-fiction, with a feminist protagonist. That's a win-win-win. "
SCHAMBERS
"Much like Alma’s long interesting life it still left much to be desired and in the end it was a unfortunate book"
J P
Jennifer Payne
"A heartrending and beautiful book, about love, being wanted, and moss."
L w
Laura wills
"A fantastic tale! Loved the writing. My bookclub paired this with a visit to The Woodlands, in Philadelphia, which was the inspiration for the fictional Whiteacre. "
The Novel Tourist
"This book is a close to perfection as it gets for my taste. I’ve been searching for something with a fraction of it’s magic since. Looking for suggestions. Where the Crawdads Sing shared similarities: historical fiction, unique female protagonist, natural science... do you see it too? I really enjoyed both tremendously and am forever grateful to the authors for sharing their gift, passion, and dedication. "
Jillian B