416 records matched your query       

Author:

Gilbert, Elizabeth, 1969- author.

Title:

The signature of all things / Elizabeth Gilbert.

Publisher:

Viking,

Copyright Date:

2013

Description:

501 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Subject:

Women botanists--Fiction.
Painters--Fiction.
Enlightenment--Fiction.
Industrial revolution--Fiction.
FICTION / Literary.
FICTION / Historical.
Historical fiction.

Summary:

" 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. 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"-- Provided by publisher.

ISBN:

0670024856 (hardback)
9780670024858 (hardback)

OCLC:

(OCoLC)829451549

LCCN:

2013017045

Locations:

BRPD251 -- Adel Public Library (Adel)

DXPB423 -- Dr. Grace O. Doane Alden Public Library (Alden)

MMPE553 -- Algona Public Library (Algona)

WCPC115 -- Alta Community Library (Alta)

GFPE771 -- Altoona Public Library (Altoona)

BOPG851 -- Ames Public Library (Ames)

USUX851 -- Iowa State University - Parks Library (Ames)

YKPE532 -- Anamosa Library & Learning Center (Anamosa)

GBPF771 -- Ankeny Kirkendall Public Library (Ankeny)

XSPE157 -- Atlantic Public Library (Atlantic)

XWPC787 -- Avoca Public Library (Avoca)

TNPD062 -- Belle Plaine Community Library (Belle Plaine)

TJPC492 -- Bellevue Public Library (Bellevue)

TCPG826 -- Bettendorf Public Library Information Center (Bettendorf)

TOPB062 -- Blairstown Public Library (Blairstown)

JLPF081 -- Ericson Public Library (Boone)

KSPG296 -- Burlington Public Library (Burlington)

PNAX964 -- Northeast Iowa Community College Library - Calmar (Calmar)

YSPD232 -- Camanche Public Library (Camanche)

UKPD911 -- Carlisle Public Library (Carlisle)

UQAX771 -- Des Moines Area Community College Library - Ankeny (Carroll)

RZPE145 -- Carroll Public Library (Carroll)

A2PD787 -- Carter Lake Public Library (Carter Lake)

SAPG074 -- Cedar Falls Public Library (Cedar Falls)

UNUX074 -- University of Northern Iowa - Rod Library (Cedar Falls)

TYPH572 -- Cedar Rapids Public Library (Cedar Rapids)

AGPE046 -- Drake Public Library (Centerville)

NYPE343 -- Charles City Public Library (Charles City)

WKPE185 -- Cherokee Public Library (Cherokee)

XBPE737 -- Lied Public Library - Clarinda (Clarinda)

NJPD993 -- Clarion Public Library (Clarion)

SVPC124 -- Clarksville Public Library (Clarksville) — FIC GIL

DBPE173 -- Clear Lake Public Library (Clear Lake)

YTPG232 -- Clinton Public Library (Clinton)

OOAX232 -- Clinton Community College Library (Clinton)

GSPC501 -- Colfax Public Library (Colfax)

OJPC027 -- Corning Public Library (Corning)

DSPA413 -- Corwith Public Library (Corwith)

XXPH787 -- Council Bluffs Public Library (Council Bluffs)

AJPE887 -- Matilda J. Gibson Memorial Library (Creston)

TDPH826 -- Davenport Public Library (Davenport)

VXPE964 -- Decorah Public Library (Decorah)

SHPC094 -- Denver Public Library (Denver)

BAPH771 -- Des Moines Public Library (Des Moines)

PRAX771 -- Cowles Library (Des Moines)

FXPH314 -- Carnegie-Stout Public Library (Dubuque)

SIPD314 -- James Kennedy Public Library (Dyersville)

TSPC862 -- Norma Anders Public Library (Dysart)

BLPC611 -- Earlham Public Library (Earlham)

DYPD423 -- Eldora Public Library (Eldora)

TFPI826 -- Scott County Library System (Eldridge)

LBPB837 -- Elk Horn Public Library (Elk Horn)

ETPD745 -- Emmetsburg Public Library (Emmetsburg)

N2AX314 -- Divine Word College - Matthew Jacoby Library (Epworth)

EBPE325 -- Estherville Public Library (Estherville)

TAPB572 -- Fairfax Public Library (Fairfax)

ALPE516 -- Fairfield Public Library (Fairfield)

NNPA983 -- Fertile Public Library (Fertile)

NDPD953 -- Forest City Public Library (Forest City)

XHPD657 -- Glenwood Public Library (Glenwood)

GHPD771 -- Grimes Public Library (Grimes)

OIAX792 -- Grinnell College (Grinnell)

CMPE792 -- Drake Community Library (Grinnell)

FMPC224 -- Guttenberg Public Library (Guttenberg)

DJPD353 -- Hampton Public Library (Hampton)

ZYPE837 -- Harlan Community Library (Harlan)

HNPC845 -- Hawarden Public Library (Hawarden)

YCPD572 -- Hiawatha Public Library (Hiawatha)

KIPB845 -- Hospers Public Library (Hospers)

SCPC074 -- Hudson Public Library (Hudson)

HOPC845 -- Hull Public Library (Hull)

MGPD463 -- Humboldt Public Library (Humboldt)

SPPE104 -- Independence Public Library (Independence)

UGPF911 -- Indianola Public Library (Indianola)

OVUX522 -- University of Iowa Libraries (Iowa City)

CAPH522 -- Iowa City Public Library (Iowa City)

MBPE423 -- Robert W. Barlow Memorial Library (Iowa Falls)

SDPB094 -- Janesville Public Library (Janesville)

RAPD371 -- Jefferson Public Library (Jefferson)

CPPC926 -- Kalona Public Library (Kalona)

KAPF566 -- Keokuk Public Library (Keokuk)

KEPC896 -- Keosauqua Public Library (Keosauqua)

GYPE631 -- Knoxville Public Library (Knoxville)

RSPC135 -- Lake City Public Library (Lake City)

NEPC953 -- Lake Mills Public Library (Lake Mills)

AQPC277 -- Lamoni Public Library (Lamoni)

HHPC765 -- Laurens Public Library (Laurens)

TGPD826 -- LeClaire Community Library (Le Claire)

EZPE755 -- Le Mars Public Library (Le Mars)

XIPA157 -- Lewis Public Library (Lewis)

RTPA135 -- J.J. Hands Library (Lohrville)

8USX522 -- Lone Tree Community School (Lone Tree)

FWPE284 -- Manchester Public Library (Manchester)

JDPC145 -- Manning Public Library (Manning)

ZXPC675 -- Fisher-Whiting Memorial Library (Mapleton)

TKPE492 -- Maquoketa Public Library (Maquoketa)

YEPF572 -- Marion Public Library (Marion)

FOPB224 -- McGregor Public Library (McGregor)

GCPC771 -- Mitchellville Public Library (Mitchellville)

FPPC224 -- Murphy Helwig Library (Monona)

CNPC792 -- Montezuma Public Library (Montezuma)

FFPC194 -- Nashua Public Library (Nashua)

BVPE851 -- Nevada Public Library (Nevada)

PEPC626 -- Stilwell Public Library (New Sharon)

GUPF501 -- Newton Public Library (Newton)

D8PD522 -- North Liberty Community Library (North Liberty)

NTPC983 -- Northwood Public Library (Northwood)

UJPE911 -- Norwalk Easter Public Library (Norwalk)

XYPC787 -- Eckels Memorial Library (Oakland)

VKPE334 -- Oelwein Public Library (Oelwein)

AWPD207 -- Osceola Public Library (Osceola)

AXPF626 -- Oskaloosa Public Library (Oskaloosa)

AAPF906 -- Ottumwa Public Library (Ottumwa)

GZPE631 -- Pella Public Library (Pella)

BGPE251 -- Perry Public Library (Perry)

HIPC765 -- Pocahontas Public Library (Pocahontas)

JKPC771 -- Polk City Community Library (Polk City)

MCPB423 -- Radcliffe Public Library (Radcliffe)

SJPB094 -- Readlyn Community Library (Readlyn)

XEPE697 -- Red Oak Public Library (Red Oak)

VQPC384 -- Reinbeck Public Library (Reinbeck)

NVPB663 -- Riceville Public Library (Riceville)

EJPD605 -- Rock Rapids Public Library (Rock Rapids)

NLPA993 -- Rowan Public Library (Rowan)

LNPC975 -- Sergeant Bluff Public Library (Sergeant Bluff)

WAPD715 -- Sheldon Public Library (Sheldon)

FBPC124 -- Benny Gambaiani Public Library (Shell Rock)

YIPB062 -- Shellsburg Public Library (Shellsburg)

ESPD725 -- Sibley Public Library (Sibley)

HRPE845 -- Sioux Center Public Library (Sioux Center)

LAPH975 -- Sioux City Public Library (Sioux City)

BZPC851 -- Slater Public Library (Slater)

CDPC522 -- Solon Public Library (Solon)

WSPF215 -- Spencer Public Library (Spencer)

YFPC572 -- Springville Memorial Library (Springville)

WHPE115 -- Storm Lake Public Library (Storm Lake)

BWPD851 -- Bertha Bartlett Public Library (Story City)

TVPD862 -- Louise & Lucile Hink -Tama Public Library (Tama)

YWPD162 -- Tipton Public Library (Tipton)

GDPF771 -- Urbandale Public Library (Urbandale)

BIPB251 -- Van Meter Public Library (Van Meter)

DIPB173 -- Ventura Public Library (Ventura)

XZPB787 -- Walnut Public Library (Walnut)

CQPE926 -- Washington Free Public Library (Washington)

SFPH074 -- Waterloo Public Library (Waterloo)

BJPD251 -- Waukee Public Library (Waukee)

DPPE403 -- Kendall Young Library (Webster City)

MSPA553 -- Wesley Public Library (Wesley)

GEPG771 -- West Des Moines Public Library (West Des Moines)

KLPC566 -- West Point Public Library (West Point)

VMPC334 -- West Union Community Library (West Union)

ZVPB675 -- Whiting Public Library (Whiting)

CJPC482 -- Williamsburg Public Library (Williamsburg)

BNPD611 -- Winterset Public Library (Winterset)