Eden

The Eden Project is, in his own statement: "a vast complex of soap bubble-shaped greenhouses (the largest in the world) which interpret and explain our dependence upon the plant kingdom." Eden the book is his definitive account of the project from its beginnings--an account handsomely and often wittily illustrated (a good gift book). More importantly, it is well written.

Smit is trenchant about his aims: "Why, for God's sake, put yourself...through years of grief to build a crappy theme park so that some smartass can define it in a sentence?" he asks. By creating something more than a mere "product"--and by doing it in an old clay pit in Cornwall--Smit and his colleagues faced daunting challenges. Larger-than-life characters pepper the book which is more about people than plants.

Well over a million people have already visited the Eden Project. But this book is more than a celebration, more than a memento; it is too honest and exhaustive to be a mere statement of vision. It is, all in all, a rather unlikely bestseller--a contender for best business book of the year. --Simon Ings

The book is, like Eden, so many things. A gripping (true) yarn, an educational piece, something which makes you question society and global issues and finally an insight into one intelligent and individual man crusade to be independant and do something meaningful.

Overall, you finish this book wanting to leave the house and visit Eden right this minute - even if you've just been there. You also want to meet co-founder Tim Smit - who, by the way, desevedly earned a CBE for his genius - and discover what else he has written.

Whilst Tim's cultivated eccenticity and orderly randomness are things which make both the book and the Eden Project so amazing, they also form the book's sole failing. The closely juxtaposed narratives on architecture, social history, ecology, managing people, horticulture, struggle, education and major project building make for a very entertaining read.

However, missing from that list are the legal, financial and political battles which seemed to have been Eden's most formidable and boring enemies - yet they feature very heavily in sections of the book. Sadly they're inevitable from these projects, and waste a lot of public and charitable money, and perhaps these are two reasons why Tim shouldn't have focussed so heavily on them in this otherwise uplifting and fascinating book. I'm sure they'd fit nicer in a separate specialist book.


Eden   September 11, 2004
 4 out of 4 found this review helpful

A refreshingly frank and honest account about raising 150m for 'The Worlds Largest Greenhouse'. Not only does it raise your awareness of what regeneration is all about but Eden is also a compelling account of how to never give up on an idea you believe in; throughout the book Smit reminds himself he's going to see the project through to the end; where lesser men would have given up, or succumb to comprimise. This is the stuff of heroes but it aint fiction. Just becuase a company may help fund the project at the beginning doesnt mean they get the contract at the end. You often ask yourself how did he convince so many people whom must have been fairly major players themselves? As the the initial idea does the rounds of commissioners and local government funding you soon get an idea of what raising such a vast amount of money is all about and the fact that the end result is pretty much what Smit originally concieved is just awesome.


Inspirational Eden   October 23, 2002
 12 out of 12 found this review helpful

Tim Smit provides an insight into the group vision that resulted in one of the more successful Millennium projects - Eden. And the fact that it is the work of a committed 'group' of people is not lost on the reader. Smit regularly repeats the mantra that Eden was only developed thanks to the work of a wide range of individuals from contractors to councils, and not forgetting the plant-men.

If you want to understand some details behind the way such projects are developed then this is a book you should read. When the project was floundering while all the funding partners came together then Tim Smit was there and he relives it through the book. Sometimes you wonder how it call came together.

On the other hand, if you are a plant-lover, gardener or horticulturalist then this is also a book you should read. Smit tells the fascinating story of the development of the biome concepts and the plants they chose to grow. More importantly he discusses the relationship between man and the natural surroundings we inhabit; debating our fragile relationship with a range of environments along the way.

However, what you take from this book is a mixture of all of the above. Landscaping, plant husbandry and environmental considerations sit alongside planning, funding, road building and visitor education projects. It's one man's personal account rather than a definitive history and the cast of characters seems endless and, sometimes, confusing. However, the determination and vision that drove the project; the commitment and enthusiasm of all the people and the role Eden believes it should be playing on the world stage are all presented in an accessible, very readable account of, what seems to have been, a long but successful process. If this book doesn't inspire you to aim higher and better, then nothing will.


Total Immersion   August 30, 2002
 5 out of 6 found this review helpful

I found the book fascinating and informative. I live very near eden and have been following progress through "the big build" and beyond I still found things to amaze in the book, and gained an added insight into how close to failure Tim came. Having been to one of Tim's talks, I found the book brings across his sheer enthusiasm and energy well and made me eager to try and figure out what his next mission will be. Superb images in this book are mated with good production and editing values. A very good addition to anybody's book collection.