Eliza Scidmore hit the road a century ago as an intrepid journalist, capturing the romance of travel for Americans back home. Adventures in Japan inspired her obsessive quest to give Washington its cherry trees.
“At last, the bold and adventurous Eliza Scidmore has the biography she deserves! Inspiring and well-researched, this book is a thrilling look at an incredible woman and a fascinating era in history.”
—Amy Stewart, New York Times best-selling author of The Drunken Botanist
About Diana
Long-time writer and former journalist Diana Parsell has worked in Washington, D.C., and Southeast Asia for publications, websites and science organizations, including National Geographic, NIH, AAAS and The Washington Post.
Upcoming Author Events
With the release of Eliza Scidmore: The Trailblazing Woman Behind Washington's Cherry Trees on March 1, 2023, Diana will be speaking at various events—some in person, others virtual. In one major public appearance, she'll speak Politics & Prose in downtown Washington on March 27, at 7 p.m. The date coincides with the anniversary of the first cherry trees planted in 1912. Visit the Events page for other scheduled appearances.
Latest Blog Post (Categories Below)
As events for this year’s National Cherry Blossom Festival get firmed up, I’m honored to be sharing the spotlight with Patricia Taft, the great grand-daughter of President William Taft and First Lady Helen Taft. We’ll be in discussion on March 23 at a luncheon at the University Club…
Diana's research on Eliza Scidmore has elicited interest from people in several countries. She has been interviewed about Scidmore by The Washington Post, National Geographic, Japanese television and Britain's BBC2. Diana has also lectured on Scidmore to diverse audiences, including park rangers and the public at Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska, where a mountain and a glacier are named for Scidmore.
