Description
Book SynopsisDeeply researched and briskly written, this first-ever biography of Eliza Scidmore, the pioneering journalist who fought to bring Japanese cherry trees to Washington, DC draws heavily on her own writings to follow major events of a half-century as seen through the eyes of a remarkable woman who was far ahead of her time.
Trade ReviewParsell has brilliantly rescued Eliza Scidmore, a celebrity journalist and travel writer, from obscurity. Her family background and character are intriguing, and the biography is packed with cultural and historical detail that positions Scidmore as a professional with friends in the highest positions in many fields, both in the United States and the Far East. In addition to the long and complicated saga of her role in securing Japanese cherry trees for Washington D. C., she is especially esteemed for her books about Alaska and Japan, and her instrumental work for National Geographic magazine. * Susan Schoenbauer Thurin, author of Victorian Travelers and the Opening of China 1842-1907 *
Diana Parsell's meticulous biography of the important, intrepid though still sadly under-researched and insufficiently known Eliza Scidmore, will be an invaluable resource for travel writing scholars and students. The interweaving of the author's own biography with Scidmore's history makes for a wonderful connecting of two women writers' stories more than a century apart. * Julia Kuehn, The University of Hong Kong *
Parsell writes in a clear and lively style and makes thorough use of primary sources, effectively blending narrative drive with evocative detail. * Michelle McClellan, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan *
A riveting read, this comprehensive biography of Eliza Scidmore is full of surprises, demonstrating a legacy that extends far beyond her role in bringing the now-iconic cherry blossoms to Washington, D.C. Through prodigious research and vivid writing, Diana Parsell brings to life the dynamic period from America's Gilded Age into the 1920s, when Scidmore was an eyewitness to major world events. I highly recommend this book. * Ann McClellan, author of Cherry Blossoms and The Cherry Blossom Festival: Sakura Celebration *
One part writer, one part adventurer, one part cultural ambassador, and 100% tenacious-and at a time when women were supposed to linger in the shadows-Eliza Scidmore literally changed the landscape of the nation's capital. In this terrific biography, Diana Parsell's obsessive quest to piece together Scidmore's extraordinary life moves this forgotten journalist from footnote to center stage. * Lisa Napoli, author of Susan, Linda, Nina & Cokie: The Extraordinary Story of the Founding Mothers of NPR *
Table of ContentsPrologue: A Grave in Yokohama Part One: Foundations 1: Child of the Frontier 2: A Fresh Start 3: World's Fair 4:
