The Signature of All Things

 The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert, 2013, 499 pp

This really well-written historical novel (by the author of Eat, Pray, Love) describes the life of a brilliant but socially awkward botanist, Alma Whittacre, the daughter of a self-made 19th-century millionaire who devotes her life to the study of moss. Moss may sound dull, but Alma is not. Gilbert so deftly describes her emotional and scientific progression thru various societies in England, Philadelphia, Tahiti and Amsterdam, as well as the colorful personalities (some actual historical figures) who enter her life with dramatic consequences, that her story seems fast-paced. The conflicts Alma faces as a woman, a scientist and a human being of her times are described in such a satisfying way that readers will find they've learned a lot about botany, scientific method and Victorian culture during the course of the book.