The Invention of Nature

Alexander von Humboldt's New World

by Andrea Wulf

paperback, 576 pages

Published Oct. 4, 2016 by Vintage.

ISBN:: 978-0-345-80629-1

(7 reviews)

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A biography of Alexander von Humboldt, the visionary German naturalist whose ideas changed the way we see the natural world—and in the process created modern environmentalism. • From the acclaimed author of Magnificent Rebels.

"Vivid and exciting.... Wulf’s pulsating account brings this dazzling figure back into a dazzling, much-deserved focus.” —The Boston Globe

Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859) was the most famous scientist of his age, a visionary German naturalist and polymath whose discoveries forever changed the way we understand the natural world. Among his most revolutionary ideas was a radical conception of nature as a complex and interconnected global force that does not exist for the use of humankind alone. In North America, Humboldt’s name still graces towns, counties, parks, bays, lakes, mountains, and a river. And yet the man has been all but forgotten.

In this illuminating biography, Andrea Wulf brings Humboldt’s extraordinary life back into …

"Vivid and exciting.... Wulf’s pulsating account brings this dazzling figure back into a dazzling, much-deserved focus.” —The Boston Globe

In this illuminating biography, Andrea Wulf brings Humboldt’s extraordinary life back into focus: his prediction of human-induced climate change; his daring expeditions to the highest peaks of South America and to the anthrax-infected steppes of Siberia; his relationships with iconic figures, including Simón Bolívar and Thomas Jefferson; and the lasting influence of his writings on Darwin, Wordsworth, Goethe, Muir, Thoreau, and many others. Brilliantly researched and stunningly written, The Invention of Nature reveals the myriad ways in which Humboldt’s ideas form the foundation of modern environmentalism—and reminds us why they are as prescient and vital as ever.

4 editions

loppear reviewed The Invention of Nature by Andrea Wulf

fascinating biography

4 stars

Deeply researched biography, following this influential European naturalist doing mostly things you'd expect: heroically adventuring through the Americas, taking the rest of his life to write and influence other scientists and artists and politicians (Goethe, Simon Bolivar, Charles Darwin, and John Muir all get space here), and mostly not worrying about money or relationships. And yet this is well told, and the central thesis rings through that Humboldt's realizations and advocacy about the interconnected global phenomenon of life and distribution of species and ecosystems and colonial practices impact on diversity have all dispersed so thoroughly into our world by those who were his fans that we've nearly forgotten Humboldt. A fine hope for us all.

BreadAndCircuses@bookwyrm.social reviewed The Invention of Nature by Andrea Wulf

Interesting!

4 stars

Although I do recommend the book, I can’t say I enjoyed reading all of it. Perhaps that's because the author’s intent is not to write a standard biography, but to explain how Humboldt’s views greatly influenced thinking in his own time and still today.

I found the first half to be much more interesting and involving as we followed Humboldt on his travels around the world, making scientific observations and developing his unique points of view about nature, ecology, history, and politics. The portions of the book where the author pivots toward other figures, showing how they responded to Humboldt’s ideas, were less intriguing to me.

Still, it’s a good read overall, especially if you enjoy historical non-fiction, as I do.