A Moss by Any Other Name…
I’ve just finished The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert, and as one of the few people in the world who has not read Eat, Pray, Love , or seen the Julia Roberts’ film adaptation. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Synopsis: The story focuses on a series of relationships against the backdrop of botany in the 1800s. Our heroine, Alma Whitaker, is the only biological daughter of Henry and Beatrix. They live with an adopted sister Prudence, on an immense estate in Philadelphia called White Acre. It is in this environment that Alma is encouraged to question and study any and everything that fascinates her, but as the family fortune is based on Henry’s affinity with flora and commerce. She soon becomes as adept as her father in all things plant related. This story, which spans nearly the entire 19 th century, takes us along as a young, decidedly rough around the edges Henry Whitaker embarks on the series of journeys that lead us to White Acre....