Eden

by Tim Smit

With passion and commitment thousands of "small" people built Eden as a symbol of hope in action . . . We may all have feet of clay, but that shouldn't stop us trying to make a difference. Wouldn't we all rather look back and say, "I'm glad I did," rather than "I wish I had?" Some might smile at the naivety of such ambition, believing it to be impossible. We say, "Demand the impossible."  So said Tim Smit and thus was the impossible delivered—a living theater of plants and people and their interdependence, housed in a disused china clay pit and featuring the world's largest greenhouses.Well over five million visitors have since made their way to Eden, drawn by the astonishing, visionary ambition of its founders. This is Tim's story of how it all came about—the Project's genesis in the Lost Gardens of Heligan, its design and construction against all the odds, its supremely talented team of larger-than-life personalities, and above all, how the energy that brought the vision to life is being applied to possible futures. It is a vision for all to share.

Genres: Nonfiction, Business, Environment, Gardening, Travel, Reference, Natural History

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Mia · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were some fascinating bits and it was an interesting insight into how you even remotely go about getting something so crazily ambitious off the ground, but it was just toooo loonngg windeddd. I suppose the guy himself does acknowledge he needs to wring you through all the tedious bits to make the achievements more worthwhile, but the highs didn't quite manage to raise the monotony of the rest of it pour moi

[David Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book I read to research this post was Eden by Tim Smit which is a very good book which I bought from a car boot sale. The book is about how Tim Smit created the Eden Project in Cornwall which is a kind of massive botanical gardens under several of the biggest biodomes in the world. The aim was to create a kind of garden of eden but also tell the story behind plants especially how they were discovered. In the book he tells the story of the douglas fir which was named after a famous explorer who on an expedition to Hawaii fell into a hunter's pit and was goured to death by a fallen wild bull already in the pit. The point he's making is the discovery of plants is often fascinating and there are often fascinating stories connected to the people who discovered them. Smit is originally Dutch although he settled in Britain and had a lot of success abroad as a musician and composer. He came up with the idea of taking some china pits in Cornwall and building the Eden Project. One thing in his favour was these mining companies by law had to restore there clay pits to something similar to their former beauty. Much of the money to fund the project came from the mining industry which appreciated on the whole what he was trying to do. Initially many local residents thought it was going to be a festival site or a safari park and were deeply opposed to it. They had an uphill struggle explaining to everyone what they were trying to do. There were concerns over traffic congestion and if it became a safari park over escaped animals. Many of the people who worked on the project were quite passionate about it. One accountant agreed not to take any pay until they secured 100% funding for the project. Tim did go down with a bout of pancreatitis part way through the project and had to be rushed to hospital. Also a condition of getting some of the funding from a bank they had to bring in an outside caterer which they wanted to handle catering themselves and make sure was done in an environmental and sustainable way. Many people gave money to the project in donations which really helped. I think this is a really inspiring story of one of Britain's biggest tourist attractions. I really enjoyed this book which is also a reasonable length at around 280 pages.

[Ben Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was cynical about the Eden Project - just another multi-million pound tourist development cashing in on the eco boom, I thought - until I read this book. Even when I won a signed copy in a 'First Reads' giveaway, I thought it was probably just a publisher's scheme to gain publicity. I was wrong on both counts.

The book describes the process of creating 'Eden', and is a wonderful description of the numerous pitfalls that can beset large projects. Aspiring project/programme managers will undoubtedly find it of interest, and any time people complain about delays or overspend in large ventures, I ask them to read this book to get some idea of just how complex large-scale stuff is.

At the same time, it is not dry 'business talk'. The whole book is infused with Tim Smit's infectious desire to create something inspirational, that can truly change the world for the better. He describes and credits dozens of people who helped along the way, with kind words about each one, yet also mentions his personal frustrations (and does not shirk from his own failings either).

One unforgettable image, from page 321. "I have never seen five thousand people crying before, but it will stay with me as long as I live". This was not the only moment that sent shivers down my spine when reading this book.

I've not yet visited the Eden Project, but am now certain I will do so, and not just for a 2-hour 'zoom around, take some photos, buy souvenirs' trip. I will also re-read this book at least once before I go... although I will have to buy another copy, because today I am passing mine to a friend in the knowledge that they will love it, be inspired, and pass it on to others in turn. I am sure that is why Tim Smit gave the copies away in First Reads, and profoundly grateful he did so.

[John Oswald · Rating 4 out of 5]

We’re sort of familiar by now with The Eden Project but are we really…? I had the good fortune of being there at Anthropy’s major conference last year where I even had the pleasure of a few seconds with Sir Tim Smit himself (I was embarrassingly tongue tied). The place really is astounding. So I thought I’d go deeper. Please Tim if you’re reading don’t be offended but I wasn’t expecting such a good read! This isn’t a publicity book - it’s a wonderfully honest and frank account of just how Sir Tim and a supremely well chosen and motivated large team turned a bonkers idea about a new way to appreciate the natural world into a working vision in the middle of an old, spent clay pit…. It’s a triumph of collaboration over received wisdom, of vision over traditional thinking. And of amazing ingenuity (engineering, architecture, horticulture, communication, land management) over adversity. Tim talks so fondly of the people who made it happen, much more than the technical challenges themselves. And there’s a lesson in that - it’s the people we choose to work with or who choose us who really make things happen. Did Sir Tim have any real idea what he was letting himself and what was a very small team at the start in for? Not at all, but what a journey…. There is so much we can learn from Eden - as a result there are other Edens taking shape around the world. It’s a pity (in a way) that it has to take such a monumental endeavour in such a depleted world to make millions appreciate what we have and what we’re losing, but it’s so needed. I’ve been a big fan of Eden’s mission for years; now I know more it’s a real spur to support and action… grateful for the chance to read Sir Tim’s own words about this - an amazing vision. @edenprojectcornwall #edenproject #guehennoreads #booksofinstagram #booksof2024

[Mark Farley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Eden Project is a magical place of wonder that has to be seen to be believed. It is an engineering marvel and an incredible example of one man's blue sky thinking and sheer gall that creating such an epic place of dreams would even be possible. Especially in such a challenging environment, location and the financial means to do so.

All of this feeling and spirit is captured in Tim Smit's Eden, covering the early concept, construction and opening of the Eden Project. And the book is great for all of that and fascinating a read for anyone that's been there. But that's where it ends as it reads like one long awards acceptance speech, thanking one person after another to the point of tiresome. And Smit lacks any sort of humility as well, which grates towards the end. I more than got the gist two thirds in and moved onto something else with a little less cocksure bravado and self congratulations.

See the site for yourself instead and learn about it there.

[Sue · Rating 2 out of 5]

Passionate account of the evolution of the Eden Project, which evolved after the Author was involved in the recovery of the Lost Gardens of Heligan. I've visited both, they are remarkable projects and important both environmentally, historically and educationally, so I found the book in a second hand bookshop and was immediately interested to read it.
I'm glad I did, but it was a struggle in places. A lot of it reads like an epically extended acknowledgements section. The funding and bureaucracy was convoluted , with so many people involved that I lost track of who was who, doing what and why, very frequently.
Tim Smit is an enthusiast and deeply dedicated to making people understand the way the non-human environment works and the ways we interact with it. His philosophy comes through but is over-egged in places, for the average reader at least.

[Elizabeth Shultz · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Eden Project is such an incredible advancement in conservation and education, and this book definitely moved that location up higher on my bucket list. However, this book focused less on the conservation and education side of things, and ended up mostly being a patchwork of short biographies of everyone who worked on this project. In all honesty, I think the author sounds like a fascinating man and an incredible force for good, but this book seemed a little directionless. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone other than the most diehard fan of the Eden Project, and the only reason I gave it 3 stars instead of 2 is because there were a few things in the book that gave me a little background on what it entails to take on a project of this size, which is applicable to my goal of someday starting an insectarium to promote conservation and education.

[Edwin Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really interesting read, with the caveat that it might leave a lot of people cold if they’re looking for information around the plants of Eden. It’s far more of a business management book/ the trials, errors and economics of a large scale project.

I found it at times quite inspiring, but definitely not for those who want to understand more about Eden itself (and less about the making of it).

Eden sell a quarterly magazine which is good for info around the plants and environmental impact of the project, if that’s what you’re after.

[Jaap Meindersma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well... the subject and process are far more interesting than this book. It’s almost impossible to follow the story, because of the truckload of names. But it still makes me curious to visit the site...

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really great dive into the building of a huge dream, highlighting the importance of collaboration, belief, and endless hours of admin. Definitely got some of what I needed out of reading this, now to get down to Cornwall to get the rest!

[BGS · Rating 4 out of 5]

impressive coming to see the work behind the scenes.

[Jaala Spiro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very inspiring! Sticking to an imaginative vision over years of organization and funding.

[Josh Friers · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got lost trying to remember all the people he was talking about. I felt like I was listening to my mother in law telling me a long winded story.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

A compelling read about the steps and challenges involved in making a pioneering idea a reality.

[Wendy Unsworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a lovely hardback (and signed!) edition on my bookshelf and it was nice to take it down and get re-acquainted. I lived not too far from the Eden Project whilst it was under construction and visited shortly after it opened. This book is a fascinating account into the background of this (excuse the pun!) ground - breaking project. It's not just the engineering and the procurement of plants; Tim Smit discusses all the financial headaches, the ups and downs and praises the team that never gave up seeing the whole thing through.
It's interesting to see initial ideas and learn how the vision finally came to life, from a rain soaked quarry to the Eden dream. It really is amazing to see the 'Biomes' nestling in the bowl of the huge quarry, they are so perfectly placed.
Wonderful photos and a fascinating story.

[Grammar*Kitten · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to win a copy of Eden in a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.

I have to confess I was shocked to receive such a big, beautiful book, so full of wonderful pictures. I'm not ashamed to say that I sat and looked at those alone for quite some time before even getting to the text!

Although I knew of the Eden Project, I knew nothing about it. Mention of it conjoured images of some big glass golf balls, sat in a field.

The text itself is well written and tells the story of how the project went from creation to fruition; it seems to have been a more mammoth project than I can possibly conceive, and I really enjoyed learning more about it.

If only all non-fiction books were this engaging and beautifully presented.

[Jason Pym · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love the Eden project.

I picked up this wanting to know one of two things - about the engineering project to build Eden and/or about the plants.

Instead this is a project manager's diary: How to get funding; where to get funding; people management; dealing with concerns of local communities and interest groups. That kind of thing, for page after page.

For many reasons, Eden would never have happened without Tim Smit, and this book makes this clear. But we knew that, and I'm really not sure who would be interested in this kind of account.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring to read how the impossible dream first graduated to relatively implausible idea, then a fairly incomplete business plan, then an incredible collaborative effort by many professions to create an international facility and destination. My only, nerdy, gripes? Not enough sketches from the design stage, technical drawings of the resolved structure or specific information on the botanical specimens featured: I'm aware, however, that this level of detail may well fill a bookcase.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating and very readable account of the creation of the Eden Project. The effort, determination and dedication required was astonishing, and shows power of forming a great team. But it also shows how important having the right connections is, and being able to have the ear of those with power and influence. Sometime the writing is a bit of a whirl of names of super capable and sucessful people, but that does distract too much from the story and achievement.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant book that recounts the creation of the Eden project in Cornwall, from concept, through its construction to its stunning completion.

Smit tells the story with humour, warmth and passion, while at the same time creating a management book about leadership, teamwork and achieving the impossible.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

a lovely interesting book with great photographs, as i have visited twice i found this book interesting to me, i will be sharing it with mum who has a trip planned for next year as i'm sure she will love it.

I won this in a Good Reads giveaway

[Ns · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was completely unaware of the project Tim et al undertook, even though I lived in London. An interesting, how did they do it read. I will have to go and see it for myself.

[Bec Curtis]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13699972

[Tabitha Morton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written, inspirational book that shows belief and determination makes dreams reality.