Last week I was lucky enough to win an online competition* and had the chance to attend an interview, book signing and reading with Elizabeth Gilbert, who's on a book tour promoting her newest book: "The Signature of all things".
The high-tea took place at the Hortus Botanicus in Amsterdam. The botanical garden is one of the oldest in the world, founded in 1638 by the city to serve as an herb garden for doctors and apothecaries. It contains more than six thousand tropical and indigenous trees and plants. Its initial collection was amassed during the 17th century through plants and seeds brought back by traders of the East India Company (VOC) for use as medicines and for their possibilities for commerce. A single coffee plant, Coffea arabica, in Hortus's collection served as the parent for the entire coffee culture in Central and South America (oh how I wish I could have a cup of coffee right now).
The book itself takes place in the midst of the 19th century botanical exploration and discoveries and tells the story of Alma, the daughter of an English pharmaceutical-plant merchant and a Dutch woman of an intellectual family. She's an independent, curious girl, fascinated by science and later, evolution, who will end up being pulled in a more spiritual direction, who'll struggle to reach out of her logical and material boundaries and discover there's more to the world than the rational (but I am just starting to reach that part, as I'm halfway through the book).
It was really nice to meet the person behind "Eat, Pray, Love" and "Committed". She seemed very kind and down to earth, talking about her love for travel, living and enjoying life (saying how even if we do not understand the purpose of it all, the journey 'is interesting'), and emphasizing how the hard spiritual 'work' (and joy) is found in connection, forgiveness, love.
*Thanks to Marcela for letting me know about the event :) and to bol.com for organizing it.
That's great!!! I am reading The Signature of All Things now! I do enjoy Elizabeth Gilbert's books. She is right, the journey certainly is interesting :)
ReplyDeleteYeah... things in life seem to follow their own course, regardless of the plans we make and all of that.
DeleteLet me know what you think of the book when you finish, I am just starting chapter 18.
I've enjoyed her writing so much that the newest book is definitely on my to read list. It's always nice to hear when authors are as great in person as they seem on paper.
ReplyDeleteYeah, she really was nice and open and friendly, and I am really enjoying this book (as her 2 previous ones, but particularly, Committed).
DeleteThis sounds like an awesome afternoon. I loved Committed, and read it in the run up to our wedding. It was so well written, and so honest. I haven't read her fiction though - might have to consider it.
ReplyDeleteYes, I really enjoyd Committed too, culture and history and how they intersect are very very interesting. This is the first fiction book of hers I am reading and so far I am really liking it.
DeleteWhat beautiful pictures!
ReplyDeleteI finished the book yesterday and now I miss Alma dearly. I have come to regard her as if she had lived, and wishing she actually had to be able to read more about her. I loved the book, as I did Elizabeth's previous ones. I am so happy that you got to meet her!
And now tell me: is there a moss cave at the Hortus????? I have to go there!
Thanks so much! I am just starting chapter 18, so that's a bit more than halfway. It really is a nice book, and I have always had a thing for evolution too, so I like that part.
DeleteI took that last photo thinking of you, as it is a model of a magnolia, one of the earliest/more ancient flowers to populate the earth.
There is unfortunately no moss cave at the Hortus... yet. But I read that the garden is considering a project of building one so people who come looking for it will find it.