Andrea Wulf Books in Order

Where to Start Reading Andrea Wulf

While all of Andrea Wulf's books are standalone works of non-fiction, they share recurring themes, historical periods, and overlapping figures. Rather than tackling them strictly in publication order, most readers will find it more rewarding to follow a thematic path. We recommend starting with her most celebrated work before branching out into her interconnected historical universes.

The Best Entry Point: The Invention of Nature (2015)

If you only read one book by Andrea Wulf, make it The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt's New World. This international bestseller serves as the perfect introduction to her style, combining meticulous historical research with a narrative that reads like an adventure novel. It brings to life the Prussian polymath Alexander von Humboldt and shows how his revolutionary idea of nature as a web of life laid the groundwork for modern environmentalism.

Path 1: The Humboldt and Forster Circle

After finishing The Invention of Nature, you can expand your understanding of Humboldt and the thinkers who influenced him through these companion books:

• The Adventures of Alexander von Humboldt (2019): A wonderful follow-up, this graphic novel (co-created with illustrator Lillian Melcher) focuses specifically on Humboldt's five-year expedition through Latin America. It uses his actual diaries and sketches to bring the journey to life visually.
• The Traveller: The Revolutionary Life of George Forster and His Search for Humanity (2026): This biography focuses on George Forster, a pioneering naturalist who travelled with Captain Cook and served as Humboldt's mentor. It explores Forster's radical ideas on equality and human rights, filling in the crucial backstory of Humboldt's intellectual awakening.
• Magnificent Rebels: The First Romantics and the Invention of the Self (2022): Set in Jena, Germany, in the 1790s, this group biography features a cast of young intellectuals (including Goethe, Schiller, and the Schlegel brothers) who revolutionized our concept of the self. Humboldt was an active member of this circle, making this a perfect thematic bridge.

Path 2: The Botanical and Gardening History Circle

If you are interested in botany, gardening, and how the natural world intersected with politics, follow this chronological sequence:

• This Other Eden (2005): Wulf's debut book, co-authored with Emma Gieben-Gamal, traces 300 years of English history through the stories of seven grand gardens.
• The Brother Gardeners (2008): This book tracks the 18th-century plant trade and the group of obsessive botanists and nurserymen who transformed Britain into a global gardening empire.
• Founding Gardeners (2011): Moving across the Atlantic, this volume shows how George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison viewed botany and agriculture as vital elements of American nation-building.

Andrea Wulf Books in Publication Order

For readers who prefer to watch an author's themes and narrative voice evolve over time, this is the complete list of Andrea Wulf's books in order of their original publication:

1. This Other Eden: Seven Great Gardens and 300 Years of English History (2005) - Co-authored with Emma Gieben-Gamal, this book looks at how gardening reflected British social history.
2. The Brother Gardeners: Botany, Empire and the Birth of an Obsession (2008) - (Published in the US as The Brother Gardeners: A Generation of Gentlemen Naturalists and the Birth of an Obsession). A look at the global network of 18th-century plant collectors.
3. Founding Gardeners: The Revolutionary Generation, Nature, and the Shaping of the American Nation (2011) - An exploration of how the American Founding Fathers' passion for nature influenced the creation of the United States.
4. Chasing Venus: The Race to Measure the Heavens (2012) - A gripping account of the global scientific endeavor to observe the Transit of Venus in 1761 and 1769.
5. The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt's New World (2015) - The award-winning biography of Alexander von Humboldt and his legacy in modern ecology.
6. The Adventures of Alexander von Humboldt (2019) - A collaborative graphic novel illustrated by Lillian Melcher, covering Humboldt's exploration of South America.
7. Magnificent Rebels: The First Romantics and the Invention of the Self (2022) - A portrait of the brilliant, turbulent circle of writers and philosophers in 1790s Jena.
8. The Traveller: The Revolutionary Life of George Forster and His Search for Humanity (2026) - (Published in the US as The Traveler). The story of the radical naturalist and explorer who inspired Alexander von Humboldt.

What to Know Before You Start

Andrea Wulf's writing is highly accessible, but keeping a few details in mind will help you get the most out of her work. First, her books are heavily character-driven; she approaches complex scientific and philosophical ideas through the lives of the people who held them. Second, there are strong regional and historical crossovers: The Brother Gardeners and Founding Gardeners share several historical figures (such as John Bartram and Peter Collinson), while Magnificent Rebels, The Invention of Nature, and The Traveller form a tight European intellectual web. Reading them close together provides a rich, multi-layered view of the late 18th century.