Humboldt Chooses A Destination
I was not surprised when Alexander von Humboldt's mother made a comeback appearance in The Invention of Nature right before he left on his first expedition to try and prevent him from fulfilling his intentions. George Washington's mother was the same; she tried to deter him from joining the British Army during the French & Indian War, leading the Revolutionary War, and even becoming First President of America!
Not only does the world in which Humboldt lives provide for him, but it also limits him. While the Enlightenment era gives him scientific instruments and like-minded thinkers to encourage him, the political and travel unrest caused by the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars stalls his progress and prevents him from choosing certain destinations. Does the era make the man? We might ponder on whether Humboldt would have thought some of his theories or traveled to certain places if the time in history in which he lived hadn't nudged him in those directions. Sometimes when we study a particular person, nation, or event in history, we can forget what was happening around them at the same/similar point in time; it is very interesting (and a great writing move on Andrea Wulf's part) to remind us that while Humboldt's ideas have transcended his life into ours, as a person he was very much a man of his space time.
I really enjoyed the part where Humboldt met Aime Bonpland. We will later learn about Bonpland's position as expedition botanist specialist (hence the bamboo shoot photo above) and his lasting friendship with Humboldt. Odd friendships can make the best stories, and I figured Humboldt would need someone a little calmer and easier-going to help him through some of the mishaps on their journey. And while Humboldt does get eccentric at times, we see from Chapter I that he is lonely for friendship and company, so I think it was necessary for Humboldt's success that he find someone worthy enough to accompany him.
Other great friendships that come to mind include Sherlock Holmes & John Watson (I recommend the BBC series which is on Netflix if you're interested), or Thorin Oakenshield & Bilbo Baggins (who I totally ship by the way) from The Hobbit. From a scientific background, we see Lewis & Clark and Newton & Halley (as in Halley's comet, and Newton may not have published his famous laws of natural physics if Halley hadn't encouraged him to). And of course, my dogs Sammy and Pongo (featured below). Bromances make every story better!
I am not sure if you have heard of the video game "The Oregon Trail", but it was one of the first games we had on our first PC desktop during my childhood. It is a choose-your-own-adventure game, where you have to travel across the Oregon Trail and survive to your destination. A crucial part of the game is choosing the supplies, animals, and companions you bring with you; who you choose to take with you into the unknown could literally mean life or death.
We shall see how Humboldt fares on his first grand adventure…
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