Guided by Humboldt’s Impact, the Book Shines a Light on the Hidden German-American Experience.
“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
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MAJOR ART EXHIBITION
Alexander von Humboldt and The United States: Art, Nature, and Culture
September 18, 2020 – January 3, 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.