Andrea Wulf is an award-winning author of several books, including Magnificent Rebels and the international bestseller The Invention of Nature. Alexander von Humboldt’s New World, which was published in 27 languages. A New York Times bestseller, it also won fifteen international literary awards, including the Royal Society Science Book Prize and the LA Times Book Prize. Her new book, ‘The Traveller’ will be published in June 2026. Andrea is a member of PEN American Center, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and a Miller Scholar at the Santa Fe Institute.
The Quest for Humanity // Andrea Wulf
June 18 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
$10.00 – $15.00
Having had the pleasure of hosting Andrea Wulf several times before, we look forward to the return of this renowned horticultural writer who lectures widely across the world and has written for many newspapers, including the Guardian, Financial Times, The Atlantic, and New York Times. Award-winning author Andrea Wulf’s latest book, The Traveler, steps into the world of eighteenth-century Europe through the eyes of a remarkable young naturalist, writer, and revolutionary, George Forster. Through an incredible life forgotten by history, Forster travelled the world on exploratory journeys, regaling the world with his radical opinions on human nature.
If you are unable to attend the event, but would like to purchase one or more copies, please visit Buxton Books.
About the Book
From an early age, it was clear that George Forster possessed a brilliant mind. At just ten years old, he became a botanist when he accompanied his irascible father, Reinhold, on a wild expedition to Russia. By the time he was twelve, they had moved to London, and the young boy soon became the breadwinner by publishing translations of the most popular travel accounts of the day. Then, in 1772, at the age of seventeen, George Forster joined Cook’s second voyage, the most daring expedition of the time.
The HMS Resolution set sail with orders to find what was then the hypothetical southern continent of Antarctica, stopping at the islands of the South Pacific— including New Zealand, Vanuatu, Tonga, Tahiti, and Easter Island—along the way. The Resolution carried the ambitions of the most powerful empire in the world, but Forster brought an understanding that was far ahead of his day. A gifted observer, linguist, artist, and writer, he studied the diverse cultures of the world without prejudice and was one of the first Europeans to talk about universal human rights.
Recognized on his return as one of Europe’s brightest minds, Forster used his fame to advocate for freedom and human rights and wrote against empire, white supremacy, and slavery. He admired strong, educated women, even accepting his wife’s independence—and her love affairs. Driven by his passion for equality, Forster would eventually be pulled into the vortex of the French Revolution and live in Paris during the Reign of Terror. Throughout it all, he held close the radical belief that our common humanity is far greater than what sets us apart. The Traveler recounts the remarkable life of this deeply curious and exceptional man who, though largely forgotten by history, truly belonged to the future.
About the Author