Read what people think about The Discovery of Jeanne Baret by Glynis Ridley, and write your own review.
The Discovery of Jeanne Baret
A Story of Science, the High Seas, and the First Woman to Circumnavigate the Globe
by
Glynis Ridley
Published in USA Dec 2010,
304 pages.
Rated of 5
by Jeanne M. (Vancouver, WA) Masquerade on the High Seas
I was hoping that this would be a first person historical novel, but was delighted to find that the third person historic revelations were fascinating and led to a more thorough expose' of the connections to the explorers and their travels and travails.
Jeanne Baret's disguise as a boy allows her to be an assistant to a botanist. In this role she collects and classifies plants a t a time when the system of classification was emerging.
This is a well researched account of the voyage and discoveries that occurred, told in a way that captures the reader.
Rated of 5
by Denice B. (Fort Bragg, CA) At Sea
I was so hopeful about this book, but having taken three weeks to wade through only 30 pages, I cannot continue reading it, especially with the mounting pile of bed-side books beckoning!
The author and her subject are admirable and each do an expert job in her field, but slogging through the material was too much work. I'll continue to open random pages over time, gleaning what I can in that way.
Rated of 5
by Jean O. (DePere, WI) The Discovery of Jeanne Baret
The Discovery of Jeanne Baret is a story of an obscure woman the 1700's. The book is based on history that is patchy and contradictory. The author's research appears to be extensive and thorough. The contradictions and missing pieces in the journals, ship's logs and other records that were researched lead the author to suppositions and logical outcomes. It is a scholarly piece of work. In my opinion this is not a book for everyone. I did enjoy reading it.
Rated of 5
by Julie Z. (Bennington, VT) The Re-discovered Jeanne Baret
Jeanne Baret was a fascinating character, who like many women, was forgotten, despite her accomplishments. She traveled the world in the time of discovery, collecting botanical specimens. On a relatively small ship, in close quarters with scores of men, she masqueraded as a man, as women were not allowed aboard.
Unfortunately, she never wrote an account of her travels, and what narratives do exist, are not consistent with one another. The author is meticulous in her scholarship, and provides much important information about the society, and gender roles of the period. Still, what Baret thought and felt can only be guessed at, and the author's guess is only that. I suppose if she didn't make a stab at imagining this, that the book would be quite short.
I found myself arguing with the author, playing devil's advocate, offering my own interpretation. Maybe if she had paralleled what she wrote about Baret with another woman's story that was better documented, I wouldn't have felt that it was more a projection of the author's emotions and ideas, than an accurate picture of Baret's.
Rated of 5
by Krista H. (Grayslake, IL) didn't discover much
I struggled about halfway thru the book. While it seemed like it should interest me, I never could get into the flow of the story. If you are interested in Botany, I am sure this would be of interest to you. Jeanne Baret's life is remarkable, but the book didn't catch my interest enough to complete it.
Rated of 5
by Ginger K. (Ballwin, MO) For the sake of knowledge
Well researched and downright fun describes "The Discovery of Jeanne Baret". The book is a treat for anyone interested in plants and animals as we circumvent the globe with this indomitable heroine and company. A stowaway posing as a young male on the ship she suffers hardships and perils described by the author in sometimes agonizing detail..................such was her devotion to discovering new plant life. This is realism and history shown through a personal story at its best.
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Loved this book. Magical, quirky, enchanting I could go on. All books do not have to be literary fiction, sometimes it is just so comforting to read...
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of 5
by Jeanne M. (Vancouver, WA) 
of 5
by Denice B. (Fort Bragg, CA) 
of 5
by Ginger K. (Ballwin, MO) 
