A glorious, sweeping novel of desire, ambition, and the thirst for knowledge, The Signature of All Things marks Elizabeth Gilbert's return to fiction, weaving an enthralling story of love, adventure, and discovery. Set across the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, this epic tale chronicles the fortunes of the Whittaker family, led by the enterprising Henry Whittaker, a poor-born Englishman who amasses a great fortune in the South American quinine trade, eventually becoming the richest man in Philadelphia.

Born in 1800, Henry's brilliant daughter, Alma, inherits both her father's wealth and intellect, growing into a botanist of considerable talent. Her research delves deep into the mysteries of evolution, leading her to fall in love with Ambrose Pike, an artist with a unique vision of orchids, drawing her towards the spiritual, the divine, and the magical. Despite their differences, Alma, the clear-minded scientist, and Ambrose, the utopian artist, share a desperate need to understand the world and the mechanisms behind all life.

Richly researched and paced with exhilarating speed, The Signature of All Things spans the globe from London to Peru, Philadelphia, Tahiti, and Amsterdam. Populated with unforgettable characters including missionaries, abolitionists, adventurers, astronomers, sea captains, geniuses, and the quite mad, it is, above all, the story of Alma Whittaker. Born in the Age of Enlightenment but living well into the Industrial Revolution, Alma witnesses the explosion of dangerous new ideas challenging science, religion, commerce, and class.

Written with Gilbert's bold and questing spirit, this wise, deep, and spellbinding tale is a testament to the extraordinary moment in human history when everything was up for question. It is sure to captivate the hearts and minds of readers.