Book Review: Among Flowers by Jamaica Kincaid

When flora loving writers hang out with botanists in the Himalaya, what you get is a thoughtful, gripping journey with plants new and familiar to satiate your thirst for adventure, like the Victorian armchair travelers of old, who would read reverting text about countries newly opened up to the West.

Jamaica Kincaid is very much in awe of her surroundings and skilfully describes its nuances which challenge the group every step of the way. Kincaid says of the the journey and the book : Among Flowers

“This account of a walk I took while gathering seeds of flowering plants in the foothills of the Himalaya can have its origins in my love of the garden, my childhood love of botany and geography, my love of feeling isolated, of imagining myself all alone in the world and everything unfamiliar, or the familiar being strange, my love of being afraid but at the same time not letting my fear stand in the way, my love of things that are far away, but things I have no desire to possess. “
Jamaica kincaid

Kincaid, an American essayist, novelist and gardener of Antiguan ancestry is known for her comprehensive award winning novels such as Mr. Potter, and My Brother, exploring family, migration, and belonging. She spent 20 years at the New Yorker She converted to Judaism as an adult, and is a Professor of African American studies at Harvard university.

Kincaid was given the opportunity to seek seeds aboard which she could grow at home and write a travelogue. Joining her is plantsman, Daniel Hinkley and Bleddyn and Sue Wynn-Jones a professional botanist couple from the U.K. They take off on a 3 week pilgrimage to Nepal.

The journey is extremely challenging in terms of physical requirements, expectations and Kincaid takes us through her joys and turmoils throughout the trip.

There is a contrasting of her life in Virginia as she is assailed with the beauty of her surroundings. This provides a panoramic backdrop throughout as she describes the harshness of the journey. The altitude, the food, the quickly changing climate are all fodder for great descriptions. The most disturbing is reserved for the arch nemesis for all the travelers -Leeches.

The socio-political climate of the area brings its own challenges. Maoist guerillas control many of the villages through which they travel. They have to be careful, two British and 2 Americans are vulnerable.

There is an unquenchable thirst for seeds for her own garden, to which many plants in the himalaya not suited, while the botanists collect for natural history collections. Kincaid says of a patch of Edgeworthia:

“…a plant that I had only seen in illustrations before, my in interest limited to that because I can’t grow it in Vermont. It was beautiful, as all those things are when seen growing in their natural habitat,growing without restraint, growing not to be observed or appreciated or possessed by any gardner. “
Jamaica kincaid

Between the scientists and a writer, people used to long scientific names, they are able to spin off many of the formal names for the plants, however at one point they are unable to enunciate a porter’s name and resort to referring to him as “Table” as it was his job to carry and set up their table for meals.

The travelers alternate between a love, frustration relationship with the porters. It seems at times deferential or annoying depending on the travelers level of comfort during the trip, and hints at the themes for which her work is known, exploring her feelings of finding herself as an American aboard.

An honest and intriguing travel memoir by an author known for her unique style, exploring the theme of being a stranger in a strange place.