Welcome to Litsy!

Gorgeous cover.
I had never heard of this man before this book and found his life fascinating. I appreciate that Johnson gave a nod to the Native and Enslaved people but as with most books about this time I thought there could have been more information there.
I am always shocked at the amount of death that happened in these days. 3 marriages, many children, Hosack lost many people and much money in his life but his life was full and interesting

What a situation. What would you do if you were your friend's physician and they decided to duel? And the person they are dueling was another of your good friends? Hosack had tended to Hamilton's son after his duel three yrs earlier.

The first U.S. botanical garden was the pet project of Dr. Hosack. I had never heard of this man but boy was he well connected. He counted both Hamilton & Burr as his closest friends, & was a favorite of Thomas Jefferson.
He spent about million $ in today's $ to start the garden & once established sold it to the government so it could be maintained & opened to the public - of course not everything goes well once the government gets involved.

The first public botanical gardens in the US no longer exists but this book - mostly about the creator of the garden is very interesting.

I am listening to my #bookspin book this month because I didn't own a physical copy. The description of things that are no longer in NY has me googling a lot which I love in a nonfiction.
This is the Elgin Botanical gardens the first garden partially funded by the US.

Of course the #bookspin was the only one on my list I didn't have a physical copy of 😂😂
Super lucky it was ready to go at the library. Will listen to it to start.

Red Sister is my #doublespin

Thanks @TheAromaofBooks for all your efforts to help us get that books off our TBR!!

This was a great blend of American history, medicine, and botany, which is pretty much my catnip. The sources are exhaustive and there are many useful illustrations scattered throughout the book. Recommended for anyone who likes the three topics above.

In DC for work. Did two year stints working here and always loved this bookstore. Had to buy 3 books which awarded me a 25 dollar gift certificate for books or bar. No more room for books in luggage so spent it at the bar!

Interesting bio of Dr. Hosack and his goal of establishing a botanic garden in new york. Definitely an interesting lens through which to view early american history, however, it did feel unfocused at times and also some of the material was a bit dry. Worth a borrow from the library, though.

It feels like all of my non-fiction library holds came in at once. Not that I‘m complaining! I LOVED American Eden! The writing was wonderful and the subject was captivating. The bottom two books were less engrossing than I‘d hoped.

Just starting this, but already I‘m enjoying it!

I found the audiobook for this National Book Award non-fiction title on #Hoopla. David Hosack was an important scientist and physician in the early days of the country. He fought tirelessly to establish a botanical garden for medicinal and other scientific purposes in NYC. While very well-researched and well-written, the book is a little unfocused and often goes off on side jaunts into other historical figures of the time period (Hamilton, Burr).

Did you know America‘s first botanical garden is now where the heart of NYC stands? This incredible biography looks at David Hosack - doctor, botanist, and friend to many. From his own drive and love for plants, he built what he thought would be the garden to teach America the power and beauty of the natural world. A nonpartisan witness to the infamous Burr/Hamilton duel, this man believed in America, believed in its mind and its heart.