Guided by Humboldt’s impact, the book shines a light on a hidden story in America and the Southwest.

“I sometimes pause in amazement,” writes Erika Schelby in this delightful book, “about the curious connectedness of things.” With wit, irony, and extraordinary insight, she explores the connectedness — and contradictions — in all manner of things, not least of all in the unexpected ties between her native Germany and her adopted state of New Mexico.

– Andrew J. Bacevich, Professor Emeritus of History and International Relations, Boston University

“With wit and humor, this book tells the story of one woman’s voyage in search of a fascinating but hidden piece of American history. It ranges from frontier battles to dinners at the White House – and concludes by helping us answer the question of how the United States became the country it is today.“

 – Stephen Kinzer, author and award-winning foreign correspondent. Senior Fellow in International and Public Affairs, Watson Institute, Brown University
BUY NOW
  • Eclectic

    Humboldt emerges as the star of the story: an impossibly erudite scientist who mapped and researched the American Southwest, dined with Thomas Jefferson, and won the praise of Ralph Waldo Emerson.

    Kirkus Reviews - Read More

  • Powerful

    The personal insights are just as powerful as the historical background and provide many thought-provoking moments.

    Midwest Book Review - Read More

  • Lively

    A lively look at a most fascinating, but little understood, facet of U.S. history. Highly recommended.

    Customer Review - Read More

MAJOR ART EXHIBITION

Alexander von Humboldt and The United States: Art, Nature, and Culture

September 18, 2020 – July 11, 2021
Smithsonian American Art Museum (8th and F Streets, NW)

This exhibit reveals how the influential naturalist and explorer Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859) shaped American perceptions of nature and the way American cultural identity became grounded in our relationship with the environment.