Description: David Douglas was the premier botanical explorer in the Pacific Northwest and throughout other areas of western North America in the 19th century. Douglas' discoveries include hundreds of western plants, most notably the iconic Douglas Fir. "The Collector" tracks Douglas' fascinating history, from his humble birth in Scotland in 1799 to his botanical training under the famed William Jackson Hooker, and details his adventures in North America discovering "exotic" new plants for the English and European market. In telling Douglas' story, Nisbet evokes a lost world of early exploration, pristine nature, ambition, and cultural and class conflict with surprisingly modern resonances.
Review Quotes: "Jack Nisbet's brisk, thrilling accoun allows us to walk, ride, and paddle along with David Douglas, the tireless nineteenth-century Scotsman whose name is attached to Cascadia's iconic fir. Nisbet takes us on the ultimate naturalist's tour of a largely
"In telling Douglas' story, Nisbet evokes a lost world of early exploration, pristine nature, ambition, and cultural and class conflict with surprisingly modern resonances."--Bookmarks Magazine
"...a compelling look into what the world here was like just before widespread white settlement."
--The Inlander
"Nisbet gracefully and concisely traces Douglas' journey from a gardener's apprentice in Scotland to a young botanist-collector."
--The Spokesman-Review
"...an exhilarating biography that provides an entertaining portrait of the unfettered determination that drove one of the giants in the field of botanical exploration and infused the young nation he viewed with a keen and zealous spirit."
--Booklist
"Nisbet's well-researched narrative has considerable bounce and drama... It's a portrait of a true adventurer...a solid piece of scholarship and synthesis."
--Kirkus Reviews