Citizen Labillardière: A Naturalist's Life in Revolution and Exploration

by Edward Duyker

From the cloisters of Normandy and the pillaged libraries of Italy to the Sea of Galilee and the frozen passes of the Alps, this history chronicles the overlap of science, survival, and writing in the life of Jacques-Julien Houtou de Labillardière, an 18th-century traveler and naturalist. Most famous for his international bestseller Relation , which helped usher the southern continent into the European imagination, Labillardière also authored flora manuals such as Novae Hollandiae . This comprehensive study offers archival notes, personal correspondence, and observations about Labillardière's impact on modern society.

320 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2003

Reviews

[Korrina Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first, the tone of this book put me off as it contains a lot of technical language in French and Latin. However, the story of Labillardiere's life is so wonderfully dramatic it is as entertaining as any fiction. As a Tasmanian, I particularly loved reading about his exploration of Van Dieman's Land and his interactions with the Indigenous Tasmanians.