In The Signature of All Things, Elizabeth Gilbert returns to fiction, inserting her inimitable voice into an enthralling story of love, adventure and discovery. Spanning much of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the novel follows the fortunes of the extraordinary Whittaker family as led by the enterprising Henry Whittaker—a poor-born Englishman who makes a great fortune in the South American quinine trade, eventually becoming the richest man in Philadelphia. Born in 1800, Henry's brilliant daughter, Alma (who inherits both her father's money and his mind), ultimately becomes a botanist of considerable gifts herself.
As Alma's research takes her deeper into the mysteries of evolution, she falls in love with a man named Ambrose Pike who makes incomparable paintings of orchids and who draws her in the exact opposite direction — into the realm of the spiritual, the divine, and the magical. Alma is a clear-minded scientist; Ambrose a utopian artist — but what unites this unlikely couple is a desperate need to understand the workings of this world and the mechanisms behind all life.
Exquisitely researched and told at a galloping pace, The Signature of All Things soars across the globe—from London to Peru to Philadelphia to Tahiti to Amsterdam, and beyond. Along the way, the story is peopled with unforgettable characters: missionaries, abolitionists, adventurers, astronomers, sea captains, geniuses, and the quite mad. But most memorable of all, it is the story of Alma Whittaker, who — born in the Age of Enlightenment, but living well into the Industrial Revolution — bears witness to that extraordinary moment in human history when all the old assumptions about science, religion, commerce, and class were exploding into dangerous new ideas. Written in the bold, questing spirit of that singular time, Gilbert's wise, deep, and spellbinding tale is certain to capture the hearts and minds of readers
Adhiambo Juma –
War,like rain sends no sure signs. It just falls one day, first slowly – in bits- then angrily.
The story of a child who woke up to war- Innocent, unaware.
The story of robbed innocence and childhood,
The story of resilience,
The story of the rainbow after the rain,
The story of hope.
Sikula –
A very informative book, with lots of sad stories and events, but narrated in an interesting and captivating way
Ygal –
Between the corollaries that follow the instability of the African Great lakes looms a dire lack of narrative from the victim’s perspective. Antonio’s Born of the First Congo War is a book that navigates the complexity of telling such a story by revealing a personal experience and putting into contexts the bigger its picture.
Abi Matheka –
I recently started reading this book and instantly drowned in it! The author’s writing style and ability to capture the reader’s attention and emotions is wildly mind blowing and I love it.
Cannot wait to finish reading this beautiful piece🤩
Nicole Stella Omondi –
Amazing
stella Katchanula –
For international relations students interested in peace and conflict this book is must to read ~!! Amazing book
Edmund Mwangi –
The book gives a descriptive picture of the first congo war and how it affected different people. The book was awesome
Nyayow Deng Chuol –
This was a beautiful read. It encapsulates a personal experience of war and highlights more issues in the contemporary world.
Esperance –
A nice book that veryone should read.
Iman –
Beautiful and captivating experience. Honestly one of my best reads!
Sheila –
An interesting read. You will not be able to put it down.