The Signature of all Things

Locations
Call Number: Fiction / Gilbert, Elizabeth, Adult Book / Fiction / Historical / Gilbert, Elizabeth
On Shelf At: Downtown Library

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	Fiction / Gilbert, Elizabeth	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	Fiction / Gilbert, Elizabeth	4-week checkout	On Shelf
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	Fiction / Gilbert, Elizabeth	4-week checkout	In transit
Malletts Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Historical / Gilbert, Elizabeth	4-week checkout	On Hold Shelf
Pittsfield Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Historical / Gilbert, Elizabeth	4-week checkout	Due 04-21-2024
Westgate Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Historical / Gilbert, Elizabeth	4-week checkout	Due 04-20-2024
Westgate Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Historical / Gilbert, Elizabeth	4-week checkout	Due 05-02-2024

" A glorious, sweeping novel of desire, ambition, and the thirst for knowledge, from the # 1 New York Times bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love and Committed. 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. "-- Provided by publisher.
"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. he 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"-- Provided by publisher.

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COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Beautifully written submitted by aparna70 on June 26, 2014, 5:19pm A good book.

Wonderful, stick-with-you kind of book submitted by eapearce on July 24, 2014, 4:45pm I began this book tentatively because I have not been a huge fan of Elizabeth Gilbert in the past. I was immediately swept away by the scenes she describes and the amazingly developed characters that make this story so phenomenal. The Signature of All Things is an adventure book for adults, taking place on several continents (and oceans!) and spanning almost one hundred years. The story essentially follows the life, travels, loves and losses of botanist Alma Whittaker, a brilliant scientist and researcher. She devotes her life to studying the mysteries of evolution while battling against the entanglements of the spiritual world introduced to her by the love of her life, Ambrose Pike. Her study and her curiosity take her all around the world pursuing her research and her love. This book was really unlike anything else I have ever read. The unique-ness of the plot, the unusual and memorable characters, and the amazing settings were all unforgettable. I highly recommend it!

Very well written submitted by Lucy S on August 2, 2014, 4:48am I wasn't sure I would like this because I wasn't crazy about Gilbert's earlier books but I became engrossed right away and thought about this book long after I was finished. An interesting and unique plot and singular characters move the story along.

**** submitted by shannonwait on August 9, 2018, 9:38pm Great characters, and I came away having learned a lot about plants, especially mosses, which was a surprise. A very memorable read!

The Signature of all Things submitted by KatyaS on July 12, 2019, 8:35pm Unforgettable characters: missionaries, abolitionists, adventurers, astronomers, sea captains, geniuses, and the quite mad.

Involving submitted by mandevil on May 23, 2021, 12:21pm A curious story wonderfully told.

Surprisingly good submitted by pratibhamahesh on August 18, 2023, 3:27pm I actually liked this book! Very interesting and unique plot