Book Description
A fresh look at Darwin's most radical idea, and the mysteriously slow process by which he revealed it.
Evolution, during the early nineteenth century, was an idea in the air. Other thinkers had suggested it, but no one had proposed a cogent explanation for how evolution occurs. Then, in September 1838, a young Englishman named Charles Darwin hit upon the idea that "natural selection" among competing individuals would lead to wondrous adaptations and species diversity. Twenty-one years passed between that epiphany and publication of On the Origin of Species. The human drama and scientific basis of Darwin's twenty-one-year delay constitute a fascinating, tangled tale that elucidates the character of a cautious naturalist who initiated an intellectual revolution.
The Reluctant Mr. Darwin is a book for everyone who has ever wondered about who this man was and what he said. Drawing from Darwin's secret "transmutation" notebooks and his personal letters, David Quammen has sketched a vivid life portrait of the man whose work never ceases to be controversial.
Customer Reviews:
Beware the audio book verson.......2007-09-13
Be forewarned: the narrator of the audio book version is an unfortunate cross between J. Peterman from Seinfeld, Mike Wallace from 60 Minutes, and the narrator of old elementary school film strips. The content is very good (as described in other reviews posted here) but you should have a friendly warning about the audio version. The narrator will put you to sleep.
Short, Fast, and Informative.......2007-04-25
"The Reluctant Mr. Darwin" by David Quammen is a concise, fun, and fast read. If you want to learn the bullet points about Charles Darwin's life and the formative people, events, and intellectual and social climate that surrounded Darwin's publication of the On the Origin of Species, then this book is for you. Quammen does not spend too much time on any one point, but maintains a theme that Darwin was not lazy in publishing his famous book many years after his voyage but reluctant, wanting to make sure his ideas were sound and well evidenced.
An outline of Darwin's life can be found in many places, even Wikipedia, but what makes Quammen's book particularly helpful is the sections he devotes to writing about Darwin's contemporaries and their contributions to natural history and Darwin's work. Quammen writes about Charles Lyell and his advocacy of the idea of uniformitarianism, the idea that was formed by slow-moving processes, which opposed the idea of catastrophism, the idea that was consistent with Christian theology of the times and based on the belief that certain catastrophes shaped the geologic features of the earth as it is today. Quammen also writes about John-Baptiste Lamarck and his idea of the inheritance of acquired traits, an idea that has been found to be incorrect, but one that Darwin uses in his famous book. These sections in "The Reluctant Mr. Darwin" give historical and scientific context to Darwin's work and allow the reader to more completely appreciate the specific and significant contribution that Darwin made in advocating the idea of evolution by natural selection.
Another important aspect of Quammen's book was how Quammen made it a point to show the evolution of Darwin's famous publication from its infancy, where he first wrote his ideas in journals titled Journal A, Journal B, Journal C, and so on to his obsession with writing a tome that covered every possible argument and objection to his idea with as much evidence as possible to his final rushed publishing of On the Origin of Species due to the threat of Alfred Russel Wallace nearly publishing the same theory before Darwin himself.
This book definitely gives the reader a good picture of Darwin and the social and scientific climate in which he lived. I came away from the book having what I felt was a basic yet complete understanding of Darwin's life.
On the Evolution of Darwin.......2007-04-25
I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a quick read on the life and works of Charles Darwin. David Quammen beautifully integrates excerpts from primary sources into this biography, really making the work a book, and not just a really long research paper. The sections are smartly headed and the writing style is engaging and makes the biography an easy and interesting read.
The biography itself provides an intimate portrait of Charles Darwin the son, husband, father, friend, etc., which also reveals much about his tendencies as a scientist. The author gives a good overview of all the theories regarding speciation that had already been discussed throughout the intellectual community before Darwin came up with his idea on the "transmutation" of species. It was particularly interesting when trying to imagine a society before the theory of evolution. My struggles to do so only further demonstrate how much Darwin has impacted our modern thinking. Quammen's summary on the ideas and examples provided in "The Origin of Species" may be interesting to many who do not wish to read the 500 pages or so of the actual book, but in my opinion, it was unnecessarily dry and seemed out of place in an otherwise interesting and engaging work.
However, one point that I particularly enjoyed was the fact that Quammen explored the evolution of Darwin's theory of evolution: from the beginnings of its fabrication in "notebook B" to its revealing to the public in the first edition of "Origins" to subsequent subtle changes in order to rectify problems brought up by opponents and finally to its modern applications in the field of molecular biology. The author definitely provided a persuading argument on the "fitness" of Darwin's great idea.
The Reluctant Mr. Darwin by David Quammen.......2007-03-31
This book is by far one of the best I have read on Darwin. David Quammen puts you inside the period in Enland as well as providing a great understanding of Darwins personal thinking and self doubt as he formulated his theories on evolution. This is an excellent book for anyone but especially a non-scientist such as myself.
Larry Wilkinson
Howell, Michigan
Quammen on Darwin.......2007-03-12
This work focuses on the post Beagle period of Darwins life, and although I would have liked more included on Wallace, Lyell,and Huxley, Darwin was the deserving subject.
David Quammen is an excellent writer on science and scientists, and if you are starting with this work, you should check out his other works.
Book Description
The current controversy over teaching evolution in the public schools has grabbed front-page headlines and topped news broadcasts all across the United States. In the Beginning investigates the movement that has ignited debate in state legislatures and at school board meetings. Reaching back to the origins of antievolutionism in the 1920s, and continuing to the promotion of intelligent design today, Michael Lienesch analyzes one of the most formidable political movements of the twentieth century.
Customer Reviews:
VERY INFORMATIVE.......2007-09-07
I LIKE THIS BOOK VERY MUCH. THE AUTHOR GIVES YOU MANY SCIENTIFIC PROCESS DATA. HE ALSO GOES INTO HOW POSSIBLY SCIENCE HAS GOTTEN THE WRONG DATA AND EXPLAIN POSSIBLE SCENARIOS OF WHY THEIR DATA MAY BE WRONG. THIS BOOKS ALSO BRINGS UP MANY EVIDENCE AND DATA THAT SCIENCE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GIVE AN EXPLANATION.GREAT PICTURES TOO. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK
Just a present for those who are looking.........2007-07-23
I have read it several times and even after reading many other books in similarly interesting topics, I rate it as 5+. There are some books which have changed my view about the world and this is one of them.
I admire people who are able to write easy, without adding a lot of pages about our wonderful self. Usually we have to go thorough thick book of wonderful terminology to get a piece of information. In here everything is simple.
It seems science is opening up a little bit from the middle ages censure and lot of interesting materials will be publishing coming years. Wish you a enjoyable moments of reading!
A must read.......2004-07-04
This book gives new views on evolution science. The author uses logic to systematically demolish every one of Darwin's theories and puts forth his own ideas (which he backs up by science and history). He gives undeniable evidence of a worldwide flood and major catastrophes.
nothing new.......2003-03-12
ill keep this short. once again the creationists have abused science and made untrue claims.the creationist arguement is weak and his arguements for a world wide flood are unproven.the only evidence for a world wide flood is the bible.thats it. the facts still remain that evolution is a fact as much of a fact as the earth is round not flat.creation still hasnt explained everything compared to evolution.its safe to say that creation science has failed enough times to conclude that its not true.if you want to believe in a fairy tale world created by a supreme being some time in the last 10,000 years read this book.if you want to live in a rational world read ABUSING SCIENCE:THE CASE AGAINST CREATIONISM BY PHILLIP KITCHER AND THE BLIND WATCHMAKER BY RICHARD DAWKINS and see for yourself which arguement is more logical. theres a reason why evolution is taught in school and not creation.because the evidence supports one view more than the other
Excellent! A Must-Read!.......2003-02-23
I'll keep this short. This is the best book EVER on the subject of Creation vs. Evolution. Translated from its original German text, Dr. Zillmer puts forth a host of undisputable evidence (much of which was only found in recent decades) that completely destroys everything Lyell and Darwin's theories are built on. The author demonstrates a solid knowledge of paleontology, geology, world history, religion and chemistry. He uses logic to systematically demolish every one of Darwin's theories and puts forth his own ideas (which he backs up by science and history). In his book, he gives undeniable evidence of a literal, worldwide flood and other major catastrophes. In short, he's a genius.
If evolution is only a theory, then why is it taught as fact? This book should be required reading for all high school and college students. This should also be read by all who have an interest in geology, antediluvian times, and science as it applies to religion.
I couldn't recommend it more highly.
Book Description
The Discovery Series. A vivid illustrated portrait of Charles Darwin, his theory of natural selection, and the impact the idea of evolution had on the sciences and culture, this authoritative narrative brings to life one of the Victorian era's most fascinating personalities, whose discoveries continue to shape our world today.
139 illustrations, 82 in full color, 144 pages
Customer Reviews:
a good little book.......2006-02-18
The book summarizes the earliest proponents and opponents of evolution, the voyage of the Beagle, and the closest members of Darwin's family.
All of it is easy to read except a chapter entitled "Evidence for evolution" (pp. 116-128).
The book could be improved with an FAQ chapter, answering questions such as "Why are there still monkeys?" and "What good is half an eye?"
The book is small, profusely illustrated, and can be read in a short time. If there were more of it, I would give it a 5.
Average customer rating:
- A perfect compliment to Voyage of the Beagle
- DONT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE I FIRST MADE
- Map making and evolution
- A book re-visiting Darwin's steps.
- A book re-visiting Darwin's steps.
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Fossils, Finches, and Fuegians: Darwin's Adventures and Discoveries on the Beagle
Richard Keynes
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
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Charles Darwin's Beagle Diary
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Darwin, His Daughter, and Human Evolution
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Charles Darwin: The Power of Place
ASIN: 0195166493 |
Book Description
When Charles Darwin, then age 22, first saw the HMS Beagle, he thought it looked "more like a wreck than a vessel commissioned to go round the world." But travel around the world it did, taking Darwin to South America, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, and of course the Galapagos Islands, in a journey of discovery that lasted almost five years. Now, in Fossils, Finches and Fuegians, Richard Keynes, Darwin's great grandson, offers the first modern full-length account of Darwin's epoch-making expedition. This was the great adventure of Charles Darwin's life. Indeed, it would have been a great adventure for anyone--tracking condor in Chile, surviving the great earthquake of 1835, riding across country on horseback in the company of gauchos, watching whales leaping skyward off Tierra del Fuego, hunting ostriches with a bolo, discovering prehistoric fossils and previously unknown species, and meeting primitive peoples such as the Fuegians. Keynes captures many of the natural wonders that Darwin witnessed, including an incredible swarm of butterflies a mile wide and ten miles long. Keynes also illuminates Darwin's scientific work--his important findings in geology and biology--and traces the slow revolution in Darwin's thought about species and how they might evolve. Numerous illustrations--mostly by artists who traveled with Darwin on the Beagle--grace the pages, including finely rendered drawings of many points of interest discussed in the book. There has probably been no greater or more important scientific expedition than Darwin's voyage on the Beagle. Packed with colorful details of life aboard ship and in the wild, here is a fascinating portrait of Charles Darwin and of 19th century science.
Customer Reviews:
A perfect compliment to Voyage of the Beagle.......2007-04-23
This book was an incredibly fast and easy read for its 400 pages. For those who have read Darwin's Voyage of the Beagle, this may seem a bit redundant at times, but I actually found it to be a great compliment. Richard Darwin Keynes (Charles Darwin's great grand-son) does a beautiful job weaving together a narrative of Darwin's long journey aboard the HMS Beagle between 1832 and 1836. Bits and pieces of Darwin's commonplace journal, his field notes, and letters home are very well incorporated into the overall narrative, adding authenticity to Keynes' interpretation of his great-grandfather's time aboard the Beagle. There are also several very nice watercolor plates and many gorgeous maps and engravings that really add to the reader's experience.
The chapters are very short (8-12 pages) and each one deals with a specific region visited along the journey (except maybe the first and last two). This style is very effective, and keeps the reader interested and on track. Keynes' also adds important and relevant historical background that is not present in Voyage of the Beagle and provides the reader with a great deal of insight into Darwin's life and his relationships with other people, such as Captain Robert FitzRoy. I would recommend this book highly to anyone interested in Darwin, evolution, the history of science, or Latin America.
DONT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE I FIRST MADE.......2006-08-07
I never gave this book a good chance when I started reading it the first time and so I put it back on my shelf for a few months.
I started out reading it very slowly, each word, trying to savor the images of a bygone time and of the words and adventures of an incredible man. After a while I noticed I was trying to skip through as fast as possible just to finish it. Then when I left it on the shelf a few months it dawned on me... this book should be treated respectfully, and read for enjoyment, not just to be finished but to feel and be enveloped by, and so I picked it up a second time and my impression of it is what lead me to give it 5 stars.
The incredible abundance of drawings by those very artists that were there with Darwin, seeing what he saw, eating with him, journeying with him, and Darwin himself, his words, what his thoughts were, what he saw and touched... the descriptions coupled with the drawings of the places visited made me want to step back in time and visit each place the way it used to be... sadly those jewels are now replaced with superhighways as Keynes points out... man has a natural inclination and penchant to change usually irreversibly by destroying beauty... and what has been lost is truly sad...
What has been left is this wonderful, moving account of Charles Darwin as so wonderfully presented by Keynes. So don't do as I first did, try to plough your way through this book just to finish it, but even worse, don't just put it down to never read it because you will have truly lost out on reading a fascinating journey, an adventure of people, places, names, faces and life you just don't find these days in todays reading...
The pictures of the Feugians, unbelievable! These were the actual people that Darwin met along the journey and to see these pictures and see what these people looked like, what they wore, their face painting, everything is truly remarkable. A book like this, with this much value, pictures, detailed descriptions and accounts should be worth much much more than it sells for compared to some of the garbage churned out by lesser authors.
And you know what... I plan on reading it all over again, slowly, deliberately, and with wonder and amazement filling my mind and heart.
Map making and evolution.......2004-05-07
An enjoyable recount of Darwin's voyage around the world in the early 1830s. Rather than argue for or against any version of Darwins theories, Keynes describes the adventure of 2 English gentlemen setting out to create a better map of the world. Aside from providing an enjoyable and picturesque travel guide, we get to know the way each inspired the other.
The reader will be surprised to read about the daring young Darwin's adventures. He ends up dodging warriors prowling the Argentinian praries, trusting his life to murderous Fuegian cowboys, getting drunk with Chilean gold miners, intervening in a Brazilian civil war and tasting potentially halucenogenic South American plants.
Keynes seems particularly interested in showing Darwin as Captain FitzRoy's agent and artist. In some ways, Keynes makes a case that Darwin was hired to write the story FitzRoy dictated. Like the artists brought along by Captain FitzRoy, Darwin was invited to embellishFitzRoy's maps. FitzRoy, a flawed character of exceptional energy and intuition, knew well his limitations: depression and a violent temper. To achieve what he knows is possible he drags young English gentlemen off to the ends of the world and sets them on their path to celebrity and fame.
Left to itself, this action story and tragedy (FitzRoy commits suicide in the last narrative chapter) could have stood alone. The author feels compelled to trouble us with a search for the exact moment that Darwin's diary records the inspiration for 'evolutionary theory'. It detracts a bit, but only in a minor way. Unexplored is the relationship between map making and evolutionary trees, an obvious paradigm which would have fit the story better.
A book re-visiting Darwin's steps........2003-06-08
Mr. Keynes (great-grandson of Charles Darwin) re-plays the voyage of the Beagle, with some interesting back-up material. We read of Darwin's early life and his family connections, and the Beagle's Capt. FitzRoy's interest in returning to Tierra del Fuego. Included are plenty of extracts from others' letters and logs, plus many original drawings & paintings. And there is a nice touch; at the top of each page is the month and year, so you are continually reminded of just how much time has passed.
Having read and enjoyed Darwin's 'Voyage of the Beagle', I was not expecting much in the way of startling new evidence re his discoveries & theories. And there is not; but what IS there, is more focus on his time in Patagonia, which surprisingly covered 2 years - nearly half the 5 year trip ... which is not apparent in the 'Voyage' (in my faulty memory) ... And the Beagle only spent 5 weeks in the Galapagos, but that short stay provided most of the hard evidence which fuelled Darwin's later theorising.
Further visits to N.Z., Australia and Tasmania showed the devastation to the indiginous wildlife caused by introduced species, which prompted more thoughts on survival. Had more time been available in Mauritius or Madagascar, his theorising might have been more concentrated and conclusions derived earlier (but of course, 20/20 hindsight always provides the best view!).
Mr. Keynes provides a modern perspective on the scientific method of the young (23) Darwin, especially in his noting exactly which strata fossils were found, and his meticulously accurate un-biased descriptions of specimens (not a predominant trait in the scientific community at that time!). Particular focus is placed on his geological and fossil studies - largely glossed over by Darwin himself - revealing some deep background thinking which was formative in constructing his Theory of Evolution. The penultimste chapter reveals how Darwin spent the 20-odd years leading up to the publication of 'Origin'; how his Father and reading Malthus simulated his imagination; how his friendship with Lyell and Wallace proved crucial in the book's publication. It also underlines the idea that luck, having independant means (something denied to Wallace), and being in the right place at the right time (like Capt. Cook) probably had more to do with his success than his brilliance did.
In a touching final chapter we feel the love and friendship that grew between FitzRoy and Darwin during those 5 years on board, FitzRoy's subsequent jobs, then his final descent into depression and suicide..
Not an easy read; Mr. Keynes' writing style is not as fluid or easy on the eye as some other writers in the popular science arena, and some of the attached letters are hard going. I found myself frequently re-reading passages to ensure that I had the correct gist of the text.
However, that apart, this is an illuminating, fresh look at what was probably the most important voyage - ever - for philosophical science.****
A book re-visiting Darwin's steps........2003-06-08
Mr. Keynes (great-grandson of Charles Darwin) re-plays the voyage of the Beagle, with some interesting back-up material. We read of Darwin's early life and his family connections, and the Beagle's Capt. FitzRoy's interest in returning to Tierra del Fuego. Included are plenty of extracts from others' letters and logs, plus many original drawings & paintings. And there is a nice touch; at the top of each page is the month and year, so you are continually reminded of just how much time has passed.
Having read and enjoyed Darwin's 'Voyage of the Beagle', I was not expecting much in the way of startling new evidence re his discoveries & theories. And there is not; but what IS there, is more focus on his time in Patagonia, which surprisingly covered 2 years - nearly half the 5 year trip ... which is not apparent in the 'Voyage' (in my faulty memory) ... And the Beagle only spent 5 weeks in the Galapagos, but that short stay provided most of the hard evidence which fuelled Darwin's later theorising.
Further visits to N.Z., Australia and Tasmania showed the devastation to the indiginous wildlife caused by introduced species, which prompted more thoughts on survival. Had more time been available in Mauritius or Madagascar, his theorising might have been more concentrated and conclusions derived earlier (but of course, 20/20 hindsight always provides the best view!).
Mr. Keynes provides a modern perspective on the scientific method of the young (23) Darwin, especially in his noting exactly which strata fossils were found, and his meticulously accurate un-biased descriptions of specimens (not a predominant trait in the scientific community at that time!). Particular focus is placed on his geological and fossil studies - largely glossed over by Darwin himself - revealing some deep background thinking which was formative in constructing his Theory of Evolution. The penultimste chapter reveals how Darwin spent the 20-odd years leading up to the publication of 'Origin'; how his Father and reading Malthus simulated his imagination; how his friendship with Lyell and Wallace proved crucial in the book's publication. It also underlines the idea that luck, having independant means (something denied to Wallace), and being in the right place at the right time (like Capt. Cook) probably had more to do with his success than his brilliance did.
In a touching final chapter we feel the love and friendship that grew between FitzRoy and Darwin during those 5 years on board, FitzRoy's subsequent jobs, then his final descent into depression and suicide..
Not an easy read; Mr. Keynes' writing style is not as fluid or easy on the eye as some other writers in the popular science arena, and some of the attached letters are hard going. I found myself frequently re-reading passages to ensure that I had the correct gist of the text.
However, that apart, this is an illuminating, fresh look at what was probably the most important voyage - ever - for philosophical science.
Average customer rating:
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Charles Darwin and Evolution (Science Discoveries)
Steve Parker
Manufacturer: Harpercollins Childrens Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0060207337 |
Book Description
Evolution's Captain is the story of a visionary but now forgotten English naval officer but for whom the "Darwinian Revolution" would never have occurred. When Captain Robert FitzRoy, the twenty-six-year-old captain of the H.M.S. Beagle, set out for Tierra del Fuego in the fall of 1831, he invited a young naturalist to accompany him. That twenty-two-year-old gentleman was Charles Darwin, and perhaps no single voyage in history had a greater impact on how we would come to understand the world -- in both religious and scientific terms.
When the Beagle's first captain committed suicide while at sea in 1828, he was replaced by a young naval officer of a new mold. Robert FitzRoy was the most brilliant and scientific sea captain of his age. He used the Beagle, a survey vessel, as a laboratory for the new field of the natural sciences. But his plan to bring four "savages" home to England to civilize them as Christian gentlefolk backfired when scandal loomed over their sexual misbehavior at the Walthamstow Infants School. FitzRoy needed to get them out of England fast, and thus was born the second and most famous voyage of the Beagle.
FitzRoy feared the loneliness of another long voyage -- with madness in his own family, he was haunted by the fate of the Beagle's previous captain -- so for company he took with him the young amateur naturalist Charles Darwin. Like FitzRoy, Darwin believed, at the beginning of the voyage, in the absolute word of the Bible and the story of man's creation. The two men spent five years circling the globe together, but by the end of their voyage they had reached startlingly different conclusions about the origins of the natural world.
In naval terms, the voyage was a stunning scientific success. But FitzRoy, a fanatical Christian, was horrified by the heretical theories Darwin began to develop. As these began to influence the profoundest levels of religious and scientific thinking in the nineteenth century, FitzRoy's knowledge that he had provided Darwin with the vehicle for his sacrilegious ideas propelled him down an irrevocable path to suicide.
This true story -- part biography, part sea drama, and a subtle study of one of the defining moments in the history of science -- reads like the finest historical fiction. It is a chronicle of the remarkable chain of events without which Darwin would most likely have lived and died an obscure English country parson with a fondness for collecting beetles.
Customer Reviews:
The lives of Robert FitzRoy.......2007-04-01
Robert FitzRoy was a brilliant, fascinating and complex man. While this book focusses primarily on his role as the Captain of 'HMS Beagle' during two voyages (the second included Charles Darwin), it includes other aspects of his career and life.
Mr Nichols presents the facts - especially those related to the voyages of HMS Beagle - well. While acknowledging the later differences between Darwin and FitzRoy, the facts are presented impartially. In summary, we owe a great deal to the collaboration between Darwin and FitzRoy. The fact that their complementary skills and intellects were only combined through a form of coincidental opportunities is the purest serendipity.
Highly recommended to those who would like to know more about the events and circumstances behind Darwin's voyage on HMS Beagle as well as the voyage itself.
I am currently reading as much as I can about Robert FitzRoy, and can recommend the following two books as well:
This is a novel about Robert Fitzroy:
This Thing of Darkness
This is a biography of the HMS Beagle herself:
HMS "Beagle" (Voyages S.)
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
A stormy life.......2007-03-04
Britain's Royal Navy has had many figures worthy of note. Some of these have inspired good works of history, while others prompted novelists to produce stirring tales of more or less believable adventures. Captain William Bligh almost immediately comes to mind, as does Patrick O'Brian's lengthy series on Jack Aubrey. One real figure, who should stand out for many accomplishments, has been quietly relegated to the shadows - if not scorned for holding rigid views. Robert FitzRoy, however, was a man of many parts who deserves better treatment. Peter Nichols provides that assessment in this fine biography. The title, however, gives the game away. FitzRoy's name was overshadowed by the passenger he carried for five years, Charles Robert Darwin.
FitzRoy's ascent to the captaincy of HMS Beagle seemed ill-omened. His predecessor, Stokes Pringle, overwhelmed by the enormity of his assignment, put a bullet in his head, taking a dozen days to expire. The task, mapping a channel through Tierra del Fuego in an effort to smooth the path of empire, was taxing enough to make the bravest quail. The 500 kilometre strait might require sailing five times that distance to traverse it - if you made it at all. FitzRoy, although unaccountably young for the mapping job, took it over and pursued it with determination. During the survey, a whaleboat stolen by the Fuegians proved a pivotal point in his life. In attempting to recover the boat, FitzRoy abducted four of the natives, returning them to England as a means of raising them to become civilised Christians. Nichols seems sympathetic to this concept, even while knowing it was doomed to failure.
The world knows the subsequent events: while preparing for the next voyage, FitzRoy brought on board a "companion", Charles Darwin. Not Navy, and not the official "naturalist", Darwin was a gentlemen who could converse with the isolated officer. As a "gentleman", Darwin had less regard for the Fuegians than did FitzRoy, yet condemned slavery while the captain viewed the practice as a civilising force. This discussion was set aside when the pair observed the obvious effects of running water far from the sea. A Noachean Flood, or an ancient Earth? There were clashes and apologies, FitzRoy driving Darwin from his cabin, only to lure him back. The captain's moods were an on-going topic of the ship's officers. The dismal end of his predecessor also may have preyed on FitzRoy's mind when the Beagle beat up the Chilean coast. He believed the mapping inadequate and wanted to return to the Strait for more surveys. Distraught, he actually resigned his command, but was talked out of it by his officers.
At the end of the survey voyage, FitzRoy went through several roles. Unable to gain a ship, he was a Member of Parliament briefly and was sent to New Zealand as its governor. Empire building is fraught with risks and Nichols is only mildly sympathetic with FitzRoy's disastrous role there. The new governor was shipped home after but two years. Back in England, FitzRoy's command skills brought him to a novel task - weather forecasting. The science was just beginning and FitzRoy initiated a reporting and prediction system across the British Isles. At the height of his success at this venture, the Admiralty shut it down, even in the face of the fishing fleet's demands to sustain it. A see-saw career if there ever was one.
The final chapter of the Captain's life [by which time he was a Rear Admiral] was one of fundamental challenges. Already a religious man, FitzRoy became steeped in the Bible's words, becoming convinced it would brook no challenges. Changes observed in the natural record were manifestations of the divine, FitzRoy believed. His notions were reinforced by various commentators like Philip Gosse, who viewed the growing sciences of geology and biology with fear and loathing. In 1859, however, all those declaring Nature could be unravelled by Biblical study were directly refuted by the publication of Darwin's opus, "On the Origin of Species". Reason and evidence triumphed over superstition and dogma. FitzRoy was outraged, and expressed it at the famous British Association meeting the following year.
It's not known how much this revelation led to FitzRoy's taking his own life, but it can hardly have been insignificant. Nichols concludes that Darwin's work was but one symbol of a rapidly changing time. The author examines British society at this point in FitzRoy's with a perceptive eye. Civilisation was moving forward and the author concludes FitzRoy felt left behind. The fear of social upheaval was already being overtaken by events - Darwin's natural selection had little, if anything, to do with it, notes Nichols. It's a worthy thesis, lacking only a more thorough analysis of its roots. We never learn of the early foundations of the captain's thinking. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
Evolution's Captain.......2006-03-08
This was bought as a gift and I only leafed through it ... The recipient was delighted and I intend to borrow the book as soon as possible. Very interesting !!
Fundamentalism cuts deep for FitzRoy.......2006-02-14
Nichols focus our attention on the question if Captain FitzRoy was destroyed by the thought he took Darwin on his voyage of discovery. The issue that highlights Nichols excellent book is apparently still alive today. When one touches the third rail of Fundamentalism it cuts deep for some true believers. For example, just yesterday the L A times published an article about a minister teaching elementary age children how to argue against science and the theory of evolution. He instructed them that if in a class room a teacher mentions the word "evolution, or big bang" the children were to raise their hands and ask, how do you know, where you there? And then to tell their teacher only one was there, GOD. And GOD wrote the truth of it in the bible. Imagine this still being up for debate, happening in a country that realizes it has a shortage of scientists. Some polls say 50% of Americans still believe in Creationism. You might ask, how does this relate to Mr. Nichols excellent biography of Captain Robert FitzRoy, the Captain of the H.M.S. Beagle which took Charles Darwin on his voyage to question the common notion that we are being asked today to swallow as "intelligent design"? Well FitzRoy and most of Victorian England's thinking in the mid 1800s was unquestioning in its support of Creationism, even Darwin started from this premise. So as a backdrop to an excellent story of exploration you have a book that provides an entry level introduction to the very beginnings of a new understanding. As Nichols puts it , " How wide was the gulf between Darwin and FitzRoy. Darwin stood at the threshold of an expansion of thought and science that would not be equaled for a hundred years.... Fitzroy in his way was no less a scientist... was stuck, deeply by prejudice and the cleaving to an old order, to a mindset a thousand and more years old, when science was subservient to religion. That order was about to be toppled, and the constructs of the Bible smashed like an old wooden bridge, weakened by rot, before the torrent of a spring flood." You get the idea, and this quote does show Nichols gets carried away with enthusiastic language which I found part of the enjoyment of reading the book. This book would be interesting if only for the story of how FitzRoy kidnapped three natives from Tierra del Fuego, brought them to England, educated them to be Christians and then returned them to their "savage" cousins. Their story is part of FitzRoy's story too. I recommend the book strongly for its ideas and wonderful adventure story.
Near miss.......2005-08-08
This generally sympathetic account of Robert FitzRoy and his role as the captain of the HMS Beagle during Darwin's famous voyage is a good summer read. But anyone familiar with manic-depressive illness can't avoid the conclusion that Nichols misses a key aspect of FitzRoy's persona: he had bipolar disorder! It is remarkable how Nichols could so carefully document the elements of this illness in his biography of FitzRoy and yet not get it. As Nichols reports, FitzRoy had a family history of suicide, episodes of ill-considered spending (e.g., he purchased 2 ships with a crew on the vague hope that the Admirality would reimburse him), followed by severe depression (during the voyage of the Beagle, when FitzRoy gave up his command during an attack of depression, Darwin himself wondered whether there was something wrong with FitzRoy's brain). Add to this the episodic, lifelong course, ending -- in this sad case as in about 15% people with the illness even today -- in suicide. Nichols would have us believe that FitzRoy slit his throat with his wife and children nearby because of his disagreements with Darwin, capped by an unfavorable notice in The Times. It is clear instead that FitzRoy had a mental illness that had barely been described in the year he died of it, but which even now continues to go undiagnosed and untreated. Nichols would have served his readers -- and FitzRoy's memory -- better if he had recognized what should have been plain and considered this in his account of FitzRoy's often erratic behavior. Nevertheless, the book should be read by anyone interested in the early days of the Theory of Natural Selection.
Amazon.com
No mere travelogue of palm-fringed beaches and photogenic natives, Tim Severin's The Spice Islands Voyage is a rewarding mix of historical biography, contemporary adventure travel, and firm (but not shrill) warnings for the future of this exotic East Indonesian island group. As he relates his experiences sailing the archipelago in an indigenous prahu, Severin brings to life both the lush, volcano-spawned isles and Alfred Wallace, the 19th-century British naturalist whose myriad travels here provide the blueprint for Severin's own journey. A shy, self-taught naturalist with a gift for intuitive leaps of genius, Wallace authored a groundbreaking essay (conceived and written in the Spice Islands) on natural selection--an essay his idol, Charles Darwin, may have "mined" for his own theory of evolution.
Now, 140 years later, Severin sets forth to see how the clear turquoise waters, teeming reefs, and wildly diverse animal life that entranced and inspired Wallace have fared. Searching out boldly feathered birds of paradise, graceful green sea turtles, blue-capped maleos, and black-crested macaques, he finds reason for both hope and despair. In some regions, a blend of traditional subsistence hunting and human ingenuity has allowed imperiled species to hold their own; in others, shortsighted greed is decimating one of the most varied plant and animal kingdoms on earth.
Well written, generously illustrated, and powerfully evocative, The Spice Islands Voyage opens a window onto a fascinating historical figure and the precarious state of the islands he loved. --Rebecca Gleason
Book Description
This remarkable account of Tim Severin's voyage to the Indonesian Archipelago in search of the island paradise that naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace had explored 140 years before him offers both the thrills of exotic adventure and the marvels of scientific discovery. In a replica of the boat that Wallace himself sailed to the Spice Islands and with Wallace's The Malay Archipelago as his guide, Severin travels to remote shores that still harbor such rare but fast-disappearing creatures as red birds of paradise, flying foxes, and bird-winged butterflies. Not only does he discover the now-endangered flora and fauna that Wallace recorded in his expeditions, he also pays due homage to his intrepid predecessor, the man who provided Darwin with the ideas and principles that changed forever the way we view nature and with him co-authored the theory of evolution.
Customer Reviews:
Too Much of Wallace, Too Little of The Real Spice Islands!.......2004-09-28
I bought this book to read about Maluku (the "Spice Islands"), one of my favourite regions in the World, but instead found myself reading far too much about the author's obsession with Alfred Wallace, whose voyages he is trying to follow.
While he does give a description of places few other recent travelogues cover, these places are always viewed through his expectations of them based on Wallace's book which was written back in the 19th century. He keeps mourning how the Moluccas are not the same today as they were described by Wallace - hey, can one expect any place to remain unchanged for 150 years?
I spent well over a year travelling around these islands myself, and really think they would deserve to be appreciated for what they are now - still a beautiful and fascinating region with a rich natural environment and incredibly friendly people - rather just being treated as a background to raving about a naturalist who visited them a century and a half ago!
A more sympathetic and insightful description of Maluku is Ambon: Island of Spices by Shirley Deane.
a pleasant look at a fascinating place & person.......2003-04-20
I read this book as part of preparation for teaching my ISLAND LIFE course, which examines the role of islands in ecology, conservation and biogeography. Although not, as other reviewers have pointed out, a scientific treatise, Severin's VOYAGE is a very nice way to "get into" both the ecology of an amazing part of the globe (southern Indonesia) and the life and work of the truly amazing Alfred Russell Wallace. While Severin can't refrain from some minor Darwin-bashing (Wallace, among MANY other contributions was the co-discoverer of Evolution by Natural Selection) he is much less nasty than some other popular authors, and (thank goodness) gets on with discussing both Wallace's travels in Malaysia and his own attempt to follow Wallace's path. This makes for both fun story-telling & some fascinating glimpses of a world that many of us will never get to see -tropical islands now all too endangered by the growth of modern "civilization". With his keen interest in boats & boat-building Severin takes us through the construction of the locally built craft that mimics the sort of boat that Wallace might have encountered more than 150 years ago & also discusses regional forms of navigation & seamanship. I passed the book on to my historian father & he was equally enthused. Overall a delightful read that will leave you hungry for more on Wallace & Wallacia
A Good Introduction to Wallace and Indonesia.......2003-02-23
Beginning naturalists like me need enjoyable, readable books such as this to help us learn about our field. I had been interested in Alfred Wallace from the time I first learned of him as the guy who thought up the theory of evolution and survival of the fittest at the same time as Darwin. I wanted more information and looked for a biography of Wallace. Someone suggested The Spice Islands Voyage instead of a traditional biography.
The first time I approached the book, I plunged in craving a biography and didn't get past chapter 3 because I felt bogged down by all Severin's detailed descriptions of boat building. I put the book down for over a year, unsatisfied, still wanting to know Wallace. I finally came back to the book with more realistic expectations, understanding that I would read not only about Wallace, but also about Severin's team's journey to retrace his footsteps. Once I began to read with more patience I was pleased with the book. I found out what I wanted to know about Wallace and got the bonus of learning a lot about Indonesia and sailing.
Severin is a traveling sailor-amateur naturalist-author, who is writing to appeal to a large audience, so I wouldn't expect a scholarly, scientific work. As an introduction to Wallace and Indonesia for someone who has a beginning interest, I feel the book is valuable. Most other complaints about the hardcover edition can probably be attributed to cost cutting measures in publication. Artwork that was almost certainly created in watercolors looses much of its pizzazz when displayed in black and white. Color photos cost less when grouped in the center pages, but are never as effective as they would be when integrated with the text. Multiple and detailed maps are another expense. College students often complain about the cost of textbooks for some of these very reasons. This is not a textbook, so I feel the readers should be willing to make allowances for cost.
It is clear that Severin is a fan of Wallace and aims to give him more recognition. To achieve this goal he does downplay Darwin a tad bit overmuch. To a naturalist reader already grounded in Darwin, this is no harm. To a reader from that wider audience approaching with perhaps a sailing interest in Indonesia, reading about Darwin for the first time, this may be a slightly unfair depiction. However I would rate the danger as only minimal. I was intrigued by Wallace when I began reading, and came away a full-fledged fan. I definitely recommend this book.
A wonderful, well written journal.......2002-02-21
I thought this book kept it's promise. It was part scientific, part historical, part travelogue. I would give it a 4.5 out of 5. I look forward to reading other books by Tim Severin. He has a deft way of braiding in adventure with history. He obviously spends a lot of time researching his material.
An extremly interesting book on an area and an individual.......1999-10-22
An extremly interesting review of the travels and work of Alfred Wallace who doesn't seem to have been given credit along with Darwin.Mr Severin seems to be adept in building historic boats and reconstructing the voyages. I found the pictures muddy and the maps not detailed enough.
Book Description
Science & Discovery is a riveting presentation, in understandable language, of the ideas of three of history's significant scientific figures. Special emphasis on clear and relevant explanations gives you a new arsenal of knowledge about how the world works!
ISAAC NEWTON'S PHYSICS
Newton was a natural philosopher who described a planetary system held together by gravitational forces. His "Principia" changed science forever, establishing a way of thinking that still shapes our everyday understanding of physics and movement.
DARWIN & EVOLUTION
Darwin introduced the idea that mankind and other species are descended from common ancestors, evolving through strictly natural processes such as natural selection ("survival of the fittest"). Darwin's controversial ideas sparked a debate that still rages today.
EINSTEIN'S REVOLUTION
In 1905, Albert Einstein's name became synonymous with "genius" when his Theory of Relativity challenged old concepts in physics, shaking our conventional ideas about space and time.
Customer Reviews:
Edutainment at it's finest ..........1999-05-31
Edwin Newman produces some of the finest edutainment audio series. Bought initially as a bedtime story for my 16 month old son, I looked forward to sharing my passion of physics, math and sciences with him. The more I listened the more I learned myself. I really look forward to more audio edutainment series from Edwin and look forward to learning about new discoveries in physics, math and science and the current day scientists. I hope more scientists will take Edwins lead and share the passion of their work in an audio format. In the future I would love to see audio versions of HyperSpace, Beyond Einstein and Visions by Michio Kaku.
Books:
- The Reluctant Mr. Darwin: An Intimate Portrait of Charles Darwin and the Making of His Theory of Evolution (Great Discoveries)
- The Selfish Gene: 30th Anniversary Edition--with a new Introduction by the Author
- The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology
- The Structure of Evolutionary Theory
- The Tinkerer's Accomplice: How Design Emerges from Life Itself
- The Voyage of the Beagle: Charles Darwin's Journal of Researches (Penguin Classics)
- Water and the Search for Life on Mars (Springer Praxis Books / Space Exploration)
- Why Is Sex Fun?: The Evolution of Human Sexuality (Science Masters)
- Why Is Sex Fun?: The Evolution of Human Sexuality (Science Masters)
- Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul
Books Index
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