An interesting man, an OK book.
Humboldt was certainly an important scientist and an interesting fellow. Author Wulf traces the high-lights of his career, and even glossing over some areas, or making passing mention, it is still a pretty big book.
I don't understand the title, as Wulf doesn't make a convincing case that Humboldt fundamentally changed the way humankind and the planet interact- she is right that he saw how much human activity can change the environment before others did, but that lesson of his life seems to have been forgotten for a long time...making me doubt his work changed anything in the sciences.
