American Eden: David Hosack, Botany, and Medicine in the Garden of the Early Republic

Review of American EdenBy Victoria JohnsonIf you are like me, you may not have picked up many books about doctors or botanists. You should, however, read Victoria Johnson’s American Eden, a biography of a New York doctor at the founding of the country, who established a botanical garden, primarily as an aid to growing plants for medicine. In Johnson’s hands, the story of David Hosack unfolds into a fascinating narrative. The physician to both Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, including at their famous duel, Johnson situates Hosack’s medical practice as a story within the early days of the country. This historical integration is crucial to the story because Hosack became one of the country’s foremost botanists, an interest tied directly to his commitment to address the diseases that plagued the country. Thus, his insight into the need for a botanical garden was heard by Hamilton, Burr, Thomas Jefferson and others. Hosack also realized that explorations of the American continent would impact his garden and the public health as would relations with foreign countries where he could obtain valuable seeds.As an ethics professor, I found Hosack’s story a compelling guide to virtues that sustained him and his project. His disciplined devotion to his practice and his botanical project. His capability of maintaining good relationships with highly – and fatally – competitive personalities. His sacrifice of his own time and money to establish the garden. His relentlessness in pursuing public funding for the sustainability of that garden. His disappointment when, after securing that funding, the botanical project ran aground. As all good stories have, this one possesses not just one, but several morals.These aspects have the ingredients for an interesting tale, but in Johnson’s hands, they become a real joy to read. Her narrative is engaging, witty, elegant and, above all, masterfully researched. Like the proverbial actor who can make reading a phone book interesting, Johnson has the ability to do the same with history; with Hosack’s interesting life to work with, this book is both a delight to read as well as being deeply informative. Currently, I’m a little over halfway through reading biographies of the U.S. presidents. In my view, no biographer exceeds her writing ability. That takes in some pretty good company. Indeed, in this book, Victoria Johnson takes her place as one of this country’s foremost historians.Timothy Fort, PhD, JDEveleigh Professor of Business EthicsKelley School of BusinessIndiana University

This is just a wonderful and interesting biography of an important Early Republic figure: Dr. David Hosack (1769-1835). While Hosack was a talented and inventive physician, who trained many doctors during the country's early days, this but scratches the surface of his contributions. He was involved in virtually every cultural and scientific organization in New York city, including those developing natural history, and political and social history. He also helped found and develop two leading medical schools, and helped organize the New York Horticultural Society and the Literary and Philosophical Society of NY (America's Royal Society).However his major area of impact was as almost the founder of American botany, particularly the study and use of plants as the sources of medicinal tools. In this connection, his major contribution was to develop America's first botanical garden, Elgin, some 20 acres upon which Rockefeller Center now is situated. He pioneered the use of this garden to undertake important scientific research not only on American plants, but also on thousands of foreign plants shipped to him by foreign physicians and researchers. He imported Linnean nomenclature and classification techniques into the new nation. He trained many physician-botanists in how to utilize plant-based medicines. His efforts yielded him a major European reputation for his meticulous scientific research.Along the way he managed to interact with many of the most influential public figures of the day, many of whom were interested in botany themselves: Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Benjamin Rush, Charles Willson Peale, Aaron Burr (Hosack was the physician present at the famous duel with Hamilton), von Humboldt, and Washington Irving to name just a few. No adverse events defeated him, including the forced sale of his garden to NY state, which in turn leased it to individuals who wrecked the site and destroyed many of the precious plants that had taken years of ceaseless effort by Hosack to maintain, on top of all his other activities.But there is even more. The book also affords insights into New York city history, an area taught by the author at Hunter College, as well as important events on the national level. The author has included many black and white illustrations (including some plants), combined with 8 beautiful pages of color prints of leading public figures and physical locations. The author's research is absolutely impressive with 60 pages of notes, 29 pages of sources and bibliography (both printed and digital), and an interesting section on "Illustration Credits. However the major things the book has going for it are the warmth the author feels for Horsack and a remarkable talent for writing and sharing her insights into this most important figure. More books from her I am hoping will be forthcoming.

The life of David Hosack, New York City medical doctor, botanist, community organizer, world traveler, friend, father, colleague, and philanthropist

I loved the story of this doctor's life. He certainly was passionate about his plants, and learning more about how they could be used to cure illnesses. The details about the history of the period were fascinating as well. It was marvelously written, and I enjoyed it very much.

Professor Johnson has written an engaging biography of David Hosack, founder of America's first botanical garden and attending physician at the Hamilton-Burr duel. A good biography introduces us to many fascinating people other than the main subject, and American Eden does this well. For example, Johnson's book will be the first many readers hear of Samuel Latham Mitchill, Hosack's colleague and rival, who was a combination statesman and scientist, sort of a lower case version of Thomas Jefferson. But Hosack is always front and center, and what a busy man he was: seeing patients, lecturing and mentoring young physicians, and, as the central theme of this book shows, working hard to remind his fellow Americans that plants were the source of medicines that could cure illness. This, Hosack asserted, justified the trouble and expense of a botanic garden both as a source of known remedies and a place of research to discover new remedies.

This was a book club selection. While the subject was very interesting, it was hard to get through. Too many pages and too many facts. The notes in the back were over 100 pages! One member of my book club said the writer needed a better editor. I/We did learn lots about the beginning of our country, but it just took too long to get there.