The Voyage of the Beagle: Charles Darwin's Journal of Researches (Penguin Classics)

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One of the best travel books written by one of the best scientists.......2007-10-04

Forget the image of Darwin as an old white-beard scholar. In The Voyage of The Beagle, written in 1839, we have the discoverer of the theory of evolution as an energetic young man in his early twenties travelling aroung the world in a three-mast ship. After a brief stop in Cape Verde, he travels to then slaveholding Brazil (where he visits for the first time a tropical jungle), to the Plata region (he visits both Buenos Aires and Montevideo and travels on horseback on the surroundings), to the Patagonia (where he meets strongman Juan Manuel de Rosas as he launches a campaign against the pampa Indians), the Falkland Islands, Southern Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego (where they bring back three Fuegians previously kidnapped by an earlier expedition), Chile from south to north, the Galapagos Islands (whose findings would be crucial for the theory of evolution), Polynesia, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa. As he travels, he writes about both the natural history of the places as well as the people he meets. He does a lot of fearless things, travelling on horseback around the Pampas then under the dominion of hostile indians, crossing the Andes from Chile to Argentina through some of the world's highest mountains outside the Himalayas, witnessing the life of the now extinguished Fuegians (considered to be among the most primitive societies in the world), crossing the dense, cold forests of the island of Chiloe, witnessing the aboriginal australians as they cope with the massive arrival of white people to their land, seeing the gravestone of Napoleon Bonaparte in the island of Saint Helena. Darwin was no racist and he forcefully denounces the slavery he witnesses in Brazil (in this respect, he was much more thoughtful and liberal than some of his later disciples). In short, one of the greatest travel/adventure books by one of the greatest scientists of all time.

Must-Read Combo of Science, Adventure, and Literary Flair.......2007-06-07

Darwin's autobiography gives us some idea of his zeal for the study of the natural world (remember the bug-in-mouth incident?) and The Origin of Species provides us with more than enough evidence of Darwin's incredible capacity for logically combining empircal evidence in support of his theory, but is his autobiographical Voyage of the Beagle that gives us the best look at Darwin's habits as a naturalist and that provides us with a deeper understanding of his unmatched skills of observation and analysis.
While the voyage is most famous for being the time when Darwin visited the Galapagos, it is striking that he actually spends very little time discussing this segment of his journey. Much of his time is instead spent on the portion of his trip that was spent in Argentina, and it is his observations of the wildlife, the landscape, and the locals here that make for the most enjoyable reading.
The Voyage works because of its successful combination of science, adventure, and literary flair (he often gets rather poetic) that Darwin was superbly capable of. While certainly long (and possibly even too long for some readers), The Voyage is a must-read for any self-respecting Darwinophile.

Another Handy Penguin Edition of Darwin.......2007-05-17

Much as is the case with the Penguin edition of Darwin's "On the Origin of Species," this relatively inexpensive edition is packed with helpful features that add to the reader's understanding of what Darwin was about on his prolonged scientific voyage. First among these features is an excellent introduction by Janet Browne and Michael Neve, both of that wonderful Wellcome Institute in London. Dr. Browne is the author of what many consider to be the finest biography of Darwin ever written; Dr. Neve also has contributed to the Darwin literature. Although 26 pages in length, a bit shorter than that in the "Origin" edition by J.W. Burrow, this introduction nicely puts the "Journal of Researches" into context, while pointing out several areas that are of special interest to the reader. While the text is abridged about 1/3 in length, a Note carefully explains how and why the deletions were made. For example, nothing relating to the Galapagos has been cut. The editors have added a brief guide to the individuals and books mentioned in the text which is quite helpful. Also added as appendices are the Admiralty Instructions for the Beagle voyage and an essay by Captain Robert FitzRoy on "Remarks with reference to the Deluge," reflecting his reversion to traditional Christian thinking during the voyage. Several very helpful maps and a chronology are also included, which come in quite handy. Obviously, it is of immeasurable value to read the "Journal of Researches" in conjunction wit the "Origin." One comes away truly amazed at the dedication and professionalism of Darwin (who was only 22 when he commenced his five year excursion) as he collects his speciments and charts various geological dimensions. So, this book is to my way of thinking indispensable for getting a grasp on Darwin, and this skillfully edited edition makes the experience a most pleasing one.

For the Serious Darwin Fan Only.......2007-05-14

Darwin's Voyage of the Beagle is an interesting, but often tedious detail of his journey around the world. With this in mind, I would have to recommend this book to the Darwin enthusiast and to those who are just looking for a deeper grasp of Darwin, the man. It's not for anyone looking for a quick, easy, or particularly exciting or sensationalist read. If that's what you're looking for, I recommend Cyril Aydon's biography.

With this disclaimer, the book really does offer insight into Darwin and why this journey would be such a critical point in his life. Darwin is incredibly observant, and details flora and fauna throughout with sometimes discouraging detail. But this fact just gives us a clue as to what made this man different from all the other preeminent scientists of the day. Why did Darwin fully get evolution while the others didn't? Certainly this incredible power to really see things provided him with evidence that others might have missed.

My favorite parts would have to be Darwin's description of his time in the inside of South America and his interactions with the people living there. His reactions were varied. He often voices disgust at the barbarism of the settlers towards the Indians in the wars that occur there, while simultaneously describing the Indians as savages with terrible habits. Overall, however, he seems impressed with South America from the classical liberal point of view, saying "It is impossible to doubt that the extreme liberalism of these countries, must ultimately lead to good results." It would be interesting to see what Darwin would think of South America today. Throughout the book he adamately denounces the slavery sees with a keen insight, saying of an escaped slave woman who killed herself rather than be reenslaved, "In a Roman matron this would have been called the noble love of freedom: in a poor negress it is mere brutal obstinancy." Darwin was ahead of his time in this respect.

The part of the book covering his time in the Galapagos is surprisingly short, at least in respect to the emphasis Darwin later put on his time in the islands. It's also interesting to consider Darwin's reaction to them (he thought they were ugly and barren) when considering the impact the diversity of species on the islands played in his evidence for evolution.

All in all, the book has really good, insightful things to pick up, but other parts, such as Darwin's lengthy description of the masses of tiny floating sea creatures, I could have done without. Pick it up if you are really looking to put together a really complete picture of Darwin's life, with tedious details included.

Did I Just Return from South America? No Wait, I Read Darwin.......2007-05-10

The striking characteristic of Darwin's "Voyage of the Beagle" is its completeness. Not only is Darwin infinitely observant and insightful in all of his descriptions, he takes interest in everything! He continues for pages about worms (Planaria) and fireflies (Lampyris occidentalis) in Rio de Janeiro, gauchos and the pampas in Argentina, and of course the famous giant tortoises (Testudo Indicus) in the Galapagos-- just for a few examples. The scope of his observations is stunning; he is equally comfortable discussing algae or societal conventions, such as slavery. However, the depth is equally impressive; the amount of information provided on, for instance, ostrich breeding patterns, makes one wonder how Darwin possibly absorbed so much information on such a relatively short trip-- five years is not so long when you're trying to catalog every single animal, plant, and person around you! The extraordinary detail combined with the range of subject matter creates such a vivid image that the journal reads more like an travel book than anything else; I definitely recommend it for an engaging and both naturally and historically informative read.

Vestiges of Grandeur: The Plantation of Louisiana's River Road

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Amazing Pictoral Tour of River Road
GREAT BOOK FOR BOTH THE COFFEETABLE AND THE MIND!
Thoroughly enjoyable!
Most in depth book about River Road Architecture
A FINE TRIBUTE TO RIVER ROAD!!!!!

Vestiges of Grandeur: The Plantation of Louisiana's River Road
Eugene Cizek
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0811818179

Book Description

In an evocative sequel to the acclaimed New Orleans: Elegance and Decadence, author and photographer Richard Sexton returns with an in-depth visual journey through the hidden mansions—some inhabited, many now long abandoned—of Louisiana's River Road. Bordering the Mississippi, these antebellum landmarks were once the epitome of gracious living in the Deep South. Over the past century, these grand dwellings have slowly succumbed to time, humidity, and the reclamation of the land: first by nature, then by real-estate developers who built subdivisions, oil refineries, and strip malls where curtains of Spanish moss once swayed from the live oaks. This collection—featuring over 200 haunting color photographs with extensive captions explaining the architectural significance and history of each structure—is a beautiful elegy for a rapidly disappearing landscape and its ghosts.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing Pictoral Tour of River Road.......2007-05-05

This is a gorgeous book full of information and amazing photos of some of the most prominent plantations that are on River Road between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Some of the most amazing photos were from plantations that have all but been destroyed. I'd be really interested to see an updated version as some of these homes have been completely transformed since these photos were taken. Most noteably would be Houmas House and Laura which both in this book are nothing like their now restored selves. Regardless, this book is an excellent addition to anyone's plantation library or coffee table!

GREAT BOOK FOR BOTH THE COFFEETABLE AND THE MIND!.......2006-03-18

I was born and raised on the River Road. I have grown up and almost all of the wonders in this book. Nothing comes close to the accuracy and beauty captured in these photos. I would HIGHLY reccomend this book to anyone that would want to know or learn about the grand homes along the Mississippi and South Louisiana. This book is second to none in my rating. A MUST HAVE and a MUST OWN for EVERYONE!

Thoroughly enjoyable!.......2005-08-29

This is a fantastic coffe table book. This book is all about the pictures, with interesting text to accompany each image. Pictures are loveley, colour and large. If you are considering buying a copy without the dustjacket- go for it, as the cover image is on the underneath as well.
A great addition to any bookshelf or coffee table, my family have all had a look!

Most in depth book about River Road Architecture.......2003-07-02

I am fascinated with New Orleans and the River Road area and it's history .This has to be one of the best publications about this subject. Sexton seems to capture so much of it's history in the pages of this book, more so than any other author has. The photography is also wonderful and straight forward. I recommend it to any one who wants to learn more about southern Louisiana plantations.

A FINE TRIBUTE TO RIVER ROAD!!!!!.......2002-05-16

Although I've never been on River Road I feel this book brought me an authentic glimpse of life during the plantation era. The photographs are amazing and the book kept me spellbound for hours!! What fascinanted me most was how some plantations looked as if their inhabitants literally walked out the door and never looked back. Fine furniture, pictures, personal posessions were just left to slowly rot under leaky ceilings and caving roofs. On my next trip to New Orleans I will make it a priority to take a trip down River Road.

Darwinism and the Linguistic Image: Language, Race, and Natural Theology in the Nineteenth Century (New Studies in American Intellectual and Cultural History)

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Darwinism and the Linguistic Image: Language, Race, and Natural Theology in the Nineteenth Century (New Studies in American Intellectual and Cultural History)
Stephen G. Alter
Manufacturer: The Johns Hopkins University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0801858828

Book Description

In the nineteenth century, philology -- especially comparative philology -- made impressive gains as a discipline, thus laying the foundation for the modern field of linguistics. In Darwinism and the Linguistic Image, Stephen G. Alter examines how comparative philology provided a genealogical model of language that Darwin, as well as other scientists and language scholars, used to construct rhetorical parallels with the common-descent theory of evolution.

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Does not waste time with controversy; just read the book.
How to Worship Charles Darwin

On the Origin of Species
Charles Darwin
Manufacturer: Broadview Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1551113376

Book Description

Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species, in which he writes of his theories of evolution by natural selection, is one of the most important works of scientific study ever published.

Broadview's unabridged edition of On the Origin of Species (which corrects the first edition against the second) also includes an introduction, a bibliography, explanatory notes, a chronology of Darwin's life, and a register of names cited. The appendices contain substantial selections from Darwin's other works (Autobiography, Notebooks, letters, Voyage of the Beagle, and Descent of Man) and selections from Darwin's sources and contemporaries (excerpts from Genesis, Paley, Lamarck, Spencer, Lyell, Malthus, Huxley, and Wallace).

Customer Reviews:

Does not waste time with controversy; just read the book........2006-09-04

This is a quick review of the book not a dissertation on Darwin or any other subject loosely related. At first I did not know what to expect. I already read " The Voyage of the Beagle: Charles Darwin's Journal of Researches" (see my review). I figured the book would be similar. However I found "Origin" to be more complex and detailed.

Taking in account that recent pieces of knowledge were not available to Charles Darwin this book could have been written last week. Having to look from the outside without the knowledge of DNA or Plate Tectonics, he pretty much nailed how the environment and crossbreeding would have an effect on natural selection. Speaking of natural selection, I thought his was going to be some great insight to a new concept. All it means is that species are not being mucked around by man (artificial selection).

If you picked up Time magazine today you would find all the things that Charles said would be near impossible to find or do. Yet he predicted that it is doable in theory. With an imperfect geological record many things he was not able to find at the writing of this book have been found (according to the possibilities described in the book.)

The only draw back to the book was his constant apologizing. If he had more time and space he could prove this and that. Or it looks like this but who can say at this time. Or the same evidence can be interpreted 180 degrees different.

In the end it is worth reading and you will never look at life the same way again.

How to Worship Charles Darwin.......2006-01-29

This edition of the Origin is a rare item: a book for the classroom that actually does the job. It contains a bibliography, explanatory notes, a chronology of Darwin's life, and a register of names. The appendices contain selections from Darwin's other works and selections from Darwin's sources and contemporaries. All for $9.95!

In addition to these nuts and bolts, the editor has composed an Introduction to initiate students into the sublimity of Darwin's World. Here's how it begins: `(The Origin) is one of the two or three most significant scientific works of all time-one of those works that fundamentally and permanently alter our vision of the world.' Interested? Here's more: this surpassing achievement `requires no specialized scientific training'-great news for students mortified by maths. And more: Origin is `also a great literary classic' that is `eloquent, imaginatively evocative, and rhetorically compelling'. Holy Darwin! How good can it get? Even English lit students might go for that.

Surprise: editor Joseph Carroll is an English lit prof. His speciality is the evolutionary analysis of literature, an innovation that he pioneered. Lit departments aren't science-friendly territory. Often they run an anti-science line, linking it to exploitation, global warming, racism, misogyny and the like. Come to think of it, isn't Darwinism among the worst offenders?! Survival of the fittest, let the weak perish and the rich get richer, eugenic breeding to clean out the bungled and botched, that kind of thing. To block such negative thoughts, Carroll preaches an oration of superlatives about the Great Man that exceeds anything I've encountered. In scientific achievement, personal character, wisdom, and influence, Lord Darwin in his shining eminence leaves all others in the shadows. Here is Carroll on Darwin's most important contribution to culture: `The vision of nature Darwin offers is not that of some broad, abstract, intellective pattern, but that of living impulse, eager, frantic, animating every single organism, vast and minute, in inconceivable numbers, everywhere on earth, persisting throughout all time of organic life'. It is a vision of `competitive struggle', of the `great battle of life', and the `war of nature'. Interestingly, in this context Carroll notes that Darwin specifies an empirical finding that would `annihilate my theory'--a species that developed `an adaptation solely for the benefit of some other species'. That's because, Darwin believed, as Victorians typically believed, that every organism looks out for Number 1. It's called `individualism'.

What about that? Is there any species with adaptations that benefit only another species? Sorry to say this, but yes, there are. The pattern is called `inquilinism', which lies at the extreme end of the spectrum of parasitism. See E. O. Wilson, Sociobiology, p 371. Note: Darwin says unequivocally that his theory is `annihilated', yet for some reason the ardent Darwinian Wilson doesn't draw that conclusion.

An English prof isn't expected to know about inquilinism, but literary visions of nature are another matter. Poets and novelists homed in on the implications of godlessness of the mechanistic universe well before the Origin was published. Among those usually mentioned is Alfred Tennyson's In Memorium (1850), whose famous lines `Who trusted God was love indeed / And love Creation's final law -- / Tho' Nature, red in tooth and claw / With ravine, shriek'd against his creed' convey the temper of his sombre, lengthy meditation on nature. `Nature red in tooth and claw' became a byword among Victorians for the world they had come to inhabit. We might expect Carroll to seize on this fact, to stress how Darwin's vision fitted into the new cognitive-symbolic structures created by poets. But not a word of that! Carroll disregards not only Tennyson, but all imaginative writing that formed the context of Darwin's publications. Why this silent denigration of the importance of his own field?

Probably because even summary recognition of the literary dimension of Victorian culture would expose the historical inaccuracy of Carroll's extravagant claims for Darwin's originality. For example, he attributes massive innovative force to Darwin's replacement of creationism by purely naturalistic explanation in natural history. In fact, this was no innovation at all; the physical and hard biological sciences had long since oriented on exclusively natural causes. The only `scientists' still clinging to creative intervention in nature were naturalists-those amateur bird watchers and rock collectors who often enough were clergymen. Since Darwin identified himself with naturalists, it was `natural' for him to challenge creationism. But this challenge had been forcefully launched in 1844 in the anonymously published best-seller Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation. The author, Robert Chambers, wrote a defence of no-exception naturalism far more frontal, eloquent, and incisive than anything from Darwin's pen (Darwin was loath to give offence, especially to his pious wife Emma).

Not only had the sciences eliminated divine causality, so had theology! In 1846 the entirely secularist The Life of Jesus Critically Examined was translated from German into English by the novelist George Eliot (aka Marian Evans). Eliot enjoyed a close friendship with Herbert Spencer; together they edited the Westminster Review. They were part of an intellectual circle that included Thomas Huxley, George Lewes, J.S. Mill, H.G. Atkinson, and Harriet Martineau. Martineau, who translated August Comte's Positive Philosophy, published in 1851 Letters on the Laws of Man's Nature and Development, which projected humanist unbelief as the end point of millennia of cultural improvement. Carroll, whose speciality is the literature of this period, particularly the writings of George Eliot, presumably knows all of this. Yet he utters not a word about it! Why not? Perhaps because these facts reverse the relation between Darwin and his public that Carroll extols: far from being the mighty innovator who transforms English thought (`revolution'), he reiterates and magnifies the then aspiring progressive culture. That culture seized on the Origin and magnified it because the weight of Darwin's high social status brought with it the promise of the triumph of progressivism (the real meaning of the `Darwinian revolution'). Indeed, one of the first reviews of Origin hailed it as `the Whitworth gun of liberalism', a clear salute to the political dimension of the evolution belief. The author of the review was Thomas Huxley.

Carroll apparently doesn't see that a Darwinian analysis of literature needs to be complemented by a literary analysis of Darwinism.

Reef Madness: Charles Darwin, Alexander Agassiz, and the Meaning of Coral

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Development of Scientific Methodology in the 19th Century
Atoll times
GREAT SCIENCE WRITING!
Historical Science at its Best...

Reef Madness: Charles Darwin, Alexander Agassiz, and the Meaning of Coral
David Dobbs
Manufacturer: Pantheon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0375421610
Release Date: 2005-01-04

Customer Reviews:

Development of Scientific Methodology in the 19th Century.......2005-09-28

_Reef Madness: Charles Darwin, Alexander Agassiz, and the Meaning of Coral_, David Dobbs

One gets the impression that the author didn't have enough material to fill a book adhering strictly to the title topic, and so padded it with fully 150 pages of material on Louis Agassiz's (Alexander's father) life and work.

No matter, the result is a fascinating study of the change in scientific methodology over the course of the 19th century, using the specific controversy over formation of coral reefs to illustrate opposing conceptions of what it means to "conduct science". What constitutes a scientific theory, and what is the acceptable way to formulate one? Is it necessary to gather a mountain of evidence until an explanatory theory emerges -- as Baconian inductivists would hold -- or is it ok to make a speculative deduction based on a handful of facts, and challenge others to disprove it?

Alexander was very much in the inductivist camp, having observed the downfall of his bombastic father and thereby moved to the opposite conservative pole, in his later years visited more coral reefs than any man before or since in his attempt to falsify Darwin's coral formation theory. He knew that Darwin had been proved spectacularly wrong at Glen Roy by his father, and saw that his coral reef theory was based on circular reasoning: coral reefs were to be attributed to widespread subsidence (which was only a speculative occurrence), while the proof of subsidence was....coral reefs. As a confirmed plodder, I found myself rooting for Alexander, that he would be proved triumphant over his brilliant competitor after so many years of hard work.

Darwin on the other hand (the author argues) was much more in the mold of today's scientists in his approach. More willing to make leaps of the imagination in formulating an hypothesis, to "tell a story", and "focus on dynamic natural processes of change rather than fixed descriptions of static things", before following it up with detailed experimentation and data gathering. Glen Roy taught him "a vital lesson: Productive observation actually rises from sound theory -- not the opposite, as Louis would assert". But his coral reef theory belonged to his early years as well, and was vulnerable to criticism of being too speculative by conservative scientists with Alexander's cast of mind.

The coral reef debate also included aspects familiar to those following the current breuhaha over Intelligent Design. Proponents of Murray's alternative reef theory argued aggressively that those championing Darwin's coral reef theory were "atheistic churchmen and closet idealists, pseudoempiricists who would adore a theory because....they worshipped not thoughts of God but those of man -- and particularly of the man named Darwin." Sound familiar?

Anyway, not to drag on too much, this is a very enjoyable and informative choice for the popular science reader. Islands, island formation and island ecology, are all wonderful topics in themselves, and this book provides insight into those topics, while opening a window onto how science itself works, and how men of science have struggled to define their profession; not at all an easy task when the seemingly contradictory requirements of imagination and rigorous adherence to -- often spotty and incomplete -- fact are called for. Highly recommended.

Atoll times .......2005-08-13

This book is fascinating on many fronts. First, it is a quite readable and informative biography of Louis Agassiz and his son Alexander. Second, it is an account of one of the longest-running controversies in the history of science. And, finally, it gives great insights to the current debate in the US over the teaching of "intelligent design."

Louis Agassiz was considered one of the world's greatest scientists (or natural philosophers as they were called at the time), and, after his migration to the United States from his native Switzerland, was viewed as America's greatest naturalist. He was a shrewd self-promoter who parlayed his explanation of glaciation and ice ages, and his encyclopedic knowledge of animal taxonomy, into a position of power and influence. However, he was a follower of Cuvier, and believed that species were created immutably by God. The fossil record was explained by a series of catastrophic annihilations (floods, ice ages) followed by divine creation of completely new species. Needless to say, he did not accept the theory of the origin of species by natural selection as propounded by Darwin. He and Darwin's followers engaged in heated, personal exchanges and attacks. In the end, however, Agassiz was nearly destroyed by the ensuing controversy, and his reputation and influence suffered severely.

Alexander, on the other hand was more mild-mannered and consciously avoided being drawn into his father's fights. He was a widely respected naturalist and an expert on marine zoology, and privately accepted the truth of evolution. He had his own disagreement with Darwin, however, over Darwin's widely-accepted theory of the formation of coral reefs. While not nearly as destructive as his father's evolution dispute, the disagreement involved much publishing, many attacks, and the accumulation of reams of data supporting each side. The fact that this controversy was not settled authoritatively until core samples were taken on Eniwetok atoll before the nuclear tests of the 1950's, long after the protagonists were dead and buried, makes for an almost mystery novel-like tale.

At times, the book reads like today's newspaper accounts of groups trying promote the teaching of creationism and intelligent design in our children's classrooms. Even though this debate was seemingly settled nearly 150 years ago, some ideas die hard.

This is quite an enjoyable read.

GREAT SCIENCE WRITING!.......2005-04-09

Reef Madness is a fascinating look at the transformation of scientific thought in the 19th century, and the intrigues, controversies, and plain old trash-talking between the major players in one of the era's biggest mysteries. Although the book concentrates on the theories of coral reef formation, it necessarily also covers the fights over natural selection (evolutionary theory) and geologic history.
Dobbs writes like a novelist, so a potentially dry narrative comes alive with the life of Alexander Agassiz, an intelligent, cautious explorer caught up in the ironies of his birthright, and in the ideological struggles of his famous father and his father's nemesis, Charles Darwin. There's even a surprise ending! It's a brilliant bit of scientific reporting, and also nicely illustrates why the scientific method, despite being messy and contentious, ultimately advances our understanding of our universe (sorry, religious dogmatists!). An excellent book. Also recommended for scuba divers and others interested in coral reefs.

Historical Science at its Best..........2005-02-01

This is a superb work of historical science, a gripping story, well-told. And it has everything... Father-son dynamics, the history of science, and the rise of Darwinism, as the story is played out through a profile of Alexander Agassiz and his dad, Louis, one of the last Lamarckians. The main reason I liked the book was the quality, drive, and consistent voice of the insightful prose. The writing is simply lyric! If you liked books like Dava Sobel's book "Longitude" or Mark Kurlansky's "Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World" -- you'll LOVE this book.

In the Beginning: Fundamentalism, the Scopes Trial, and the Making of the Antievolution Movement (H. Eugene and Lillian Youngs Lehman Series)

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In the Beginning: Fundamentalism, the Scopes Trial, and the Making of the Antievolution Movement (H. Eugene and Lillian Youngs Lehman Series)
Michael Lienesch
Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0807830968

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.

The Voyage of the Beagle: Journal of Researches into the Natural History and Geology of the Countries Visited During the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle Round the World (Modern Library Classics)

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A sentimental scientists
Insight into the mind of Darwin
Charles Darwin-Naturalist, Poet, Adventurer
Charles Darwin as Indiana Jones
Darwin

The Voyage of the Beagle: Journal of Researches into the Natural History and Geology of the Countries Visited During the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle Round the World (Modern Library Classics)
Charles Darwin
Manufacturer: Modern Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0375756809
Release Date: 2001-03-13

Book Description

In 1831, Charles Darwin embarked on an expedition that, in his own words, determined my whole career. The Voyage of the Beagle chronicles his five-year journey around the world and especially the coastal waters of South America as a naturalist on the H.M.S. Beagle. While traveling through these unexplored countries collecting specimens, Darwin began to formulate the theories of evolution and natural selection realized in his master work, The Origin of Species. Travel memoir and scientific primer alike, The Voyage of the Beagle is a lively and accessible introduction to the mind of one of history's most influential thinkers.

Customer Reviews:

A sentimental scientists.......2007-05-09

The Voyage of the Beagle is filled with exquisite detail about the plants, insects, animals, and people that Darwin encountered during his journey. I was amazed at how much he had observed and compared/contrasted. My favorite parts, however, were for the most part not these descriptions. I most enjoyed the comments Darwin made that showed how he felt and what personal obstacles he encountered. Despite having the purpose of sharing his observations (which it most successful accomplishes), The Voyage showed a more personal side of Darwin. The personal comments that Darwin included and the poetic imagery he so often used gave the impression that Darwin had a sentimental side beyond the pure scientist. Even the depth of the many observations demonstrated his child-like curiosity and excitement about science, nature, and seeing the world.

If you were looking for a fast-paced plot, this is not your book. If you were looking for wonderful descriptions made by a keen observer and to gain a better understanding of the scientist, this book is definitely for you.

Insight into the mind of Darwin.......2007-05-06

This book is an excellent source of knowledge on Darwin's thought process. He describes everything in very exact detail, and in some cases the reader can see the beginnings of his ideas on evolution, such as when he compares the bird species of Argentina and Chile, or the variety of finches on the Galapagos. However, he did not pay as much attention to the importance of the finches as he did in later years. Some of his observations point to problems that only became apparent later- he describes in his visit to St. Helena how much of the flora and fauna was introduced from England, and the native plants only existed on high ridges. He also spends quite a bit of time describing the formation of coral reefs and a number of other things that after a page no longer seem interesting to most of us. However, these descriptions and his lists of species clearly show how much he valued precision and accuracy, and how deeply he became involved in his endeavors.

Another aspect that I liked about this book was his descriptions of various people and how they differed. He clearly thought very highly of the gauchos of Argentina, but found their Chilean counterparts to be decidedly less friendly. He admired the Tahitian men (not the women) and thought that the people of Tierra del Fuego, who were hardly any less "civilized" than many of the Tahitians, were quite inferior. His references to slavery are also interesting; he recounts stories of abuse of slaves, including that of a strong man who thought that Darwin was about to strike him and was too scared to do anything but turn away. He also described a situation in which a man whom he believed to be very kind sold apart members of a family.

While long and at times difficult to get through, this book is well worth reading for those who want to learn about Darwin, or who enjoy reading travelers' accounts. I found that while it did generally take several pages for me to become engaged in the book, that afterwards I was content to read several chapters in one sitting.

Charles Darwin-Naturalist, Poet, Adventurer.......2006-11-09

I learned a lot about Darwin in this book that I simply didn't know beforehand. The most important is what an exceptional writer he was. If he had never published his Origin of Species and become famous by it, this book would still be a classic, if not of science, than certainly of literature. His prose, while necessarily more pedestrian, reminds me more than anything of the prose of another famous naturalist, Thoreau (who actually quotes the "Naturalist Darwin" in Walden from this book regarding the natives of Tierra Del Fuego).

The "scientific detail" cited by another reviewer did not bog down the prose at all, a remarkable feat....a talent also found in Thoreau. The famed passage on The Galapagos was indeed interesting. But the most scientifically intriguing passages, I found, had to do with barrier reefs and atolls and how they come to be...I almost said "evolve"....But perhaps that would be premature for this book. In any event, I've never read a scientific account so riveting and fascinating as Darwin's on this subject given herein.

But, as I say, I learned quite a bit about Darwin as a young man, ready for adventure, risks, and brimming with curiosity. He is almost as much a poet as scientist in some passages, quoting Shelley at one point, and he fortifies his narrative with a poignancy absent in most scientific accounts. This stylistic flavour is evident in many passages, but I'll just proffer one from the end of the narrative:

"In my walk I stopped again and again to gaze upon these beauties, and endevoured to fix in my mind and for ever, an impression which at the time I knew sooner or later must fail. The form of the orange-tree, the cocoa-nut, the palm, the mango, the tree-fern, the banana, will remain clear and separate; but the thousand beauties which unite these into one perfect scene must fade away: yet they will leave, like a tale heard in childhood, a picture full of indistinct, but most beautiful figures." (P.444, in my edition)

Whether as poetic or scientific, this work is virtuosic and unsurpassed in its seamless melding of the two. I'll leave the reader to decide which s/he enjoys the most.

Charles Darwin as Indiana Jones.......2004-09-28

We all know Charles Darwin as a scholarly bearded old English gentleman, and like Leonardo da Vinci, Darwin has this image defining him for all future generations. Even though most everyone knows Darwin spent five years traveling the oceans on the HMS Beagle, the image of a young dynamic Darwin never takes over. Reading this book will change this.

Darwin sailed on the Beagle, a small three-mast sailing ship, and circumnavigated the globe. Over five years, he visited numerous islands in the Atlantic and Pacific and extensively surveyed the east and west coasts of South America. He hiked up and down mountains, traveled on horseback across the arid Argentinean plains, crossed the lonely Peruvian desert, and trekked the grandiose Chilean Cordilleras. He thought nothing of packing a train of mules for a two-month overland journey across the Andes going from Chile to Argentina and back again. On all his land expeditions he hired local guides, from Gauchos in Argentina to South Pacific islanders in Tahiti. Darwin's accounts of his expeditions are not only interesting adventures, they are also good portraits of the people he met. These include Latin American governors and generals, Argentinean ranchers, very primitive natives on Tierra del Fuego, and so on.

The journal begins with an account of Cape de Verd islands, then most of the book is spent on Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, and we have to wait until Chapter 17 before we get to what all Darwin fans really want to read, namely the account of his visit to the Galapagos. Though short, the account does not disappoint. We read of Darwin's finches, of two allied species of lizards, and of the giant turtles. Darwin also presents his great insight: that geographical isolation contributes to speciation. He came by this insight when it was pointed out to him that nearly identical species were seldom found on the same island. Another insight was that the fauna and flora an island depends more on that of the nearby mainland than on latitude. For example the plants of the Galapagos Islands were similar to those of the American west coast, while those of Cape de Verd, at the same latitude but in the Atlantic, resembled plants found in Africa. Darwin then continues with accounts of Tahiti, New Zealand and Australia, where we read how he thought coral reef islands were formed.

In the last chapter Darwin tells us of his visit to St-Helena and he does in fact mention its most famous resident, Napoleon Bonaparte. Though the French Emperor had already died, his remains had not yet been moved to Les Invalides in Paris. Darwin writes of the grave only in passing and is explicitly careful not too make too much of it. Apparently visitors in those days had a habit of overdoing their descriptions of Napoleon's rather simple headstone.

Travel notes like these and the descriptions of the people he met, were for me the most charming aspect of the book. The portraits Darwin paints are invariably sympathetic to human nature. Certainly Darwin was a man of his times and valued civilization very highly, but he was no racist and believed that all men could find happiness and enlightenment, and that all men had a right to be free. He despised slavery, and wrote eloquent passages attacking the prevalent institution. From this journal, we come to know a dynamic, adventurous young man, and a thoughtful liberal one who would only later shake our view of our place in the world.

Darwin.......2001-08-16

If you like science and the little details that go with it-you will really enjoy this book. It reads easily yet contains much detail.

Charles Darwin and Victorian Visual Culture (Cambridge Studies in Nineteenth-Century Literature and Culture)

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Charles Darwin and Victorian Visual Culture (Cambridge Studies in Nineteenth-Century Literature and Culture)
Jonathan Smith
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
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William Powell Frith: A Painter and His World

ASIN: 0521856906

Book Description

Although The Origin of Species contained just a single visual illustration, Charles Darwin's other books, from his monograph on barnacles in the early 1850s to his volume on earthworms in 1881, were copiously illustrated by well-known artists and engravers. Jonathan Smith explains how Darwin managed to illustrate the unillustratable - his theories of natural selection - by manipulating and modifying the visual conventions of natural history, using images to support the claims made in his texts. Moreover, Smith looks outward to analyse the relationships between Darwin's illustrations and Victorian visual culture, especially the late-Victorian debates about aesthetics, and shows how Darwin's evolutionary explanation of beauty, based on his observations of colour and the visual in nature, were a direct challenge to the aesthetics of John Ruskin. The many illustrations reproduced here enhance this fascinating study of a little known aspect of Darwin's lasting influence on literature, art and culture.

The Voyage of the Beagle (Adventure Classics)

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A Passionate Naturalist
a bit long but supremely entertaining :)
Darwin's Journal
What sparked evolution as an idea?
Darwin emerges as a scientist

The Voyage of the Beagle (Adventure Classics)
Charles Darwin
Manufacturer: White Star
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ASIN: 8854401765
Release Date: 2006-09-12

Book Description

Recorded during a remarkable five-year voyage throughout South America, these findings became the foundation of naturalist Charles Darwin's revolutionary theory of natural selection. His writing brings to life an exotic world of natural wonders, transporting readers to Chile, Argentina, the Andes Mountains, and finally, the Galapagos Islands, the unique ecosystem that inspired Darwin's groundbreaking work. Darwin's work is as relevant today as it was more than 100 years ago, when he first revealed his revolutionary theory.

Download Description

AFTER having been twice driven back by heavy southwestern gales, Her Majesty's ship Beagle, a ten-gun brig, under the command of Captain Fitz Roy, R. N., sailed from Devonport on the 27th of December, 1831. The object of the expedition was to complete the survey of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego.

Customer Reviews:

A Passionate Naturalist.......2007-05-10

Listening to Charles Darwin's Voyage of the Beagle may have not been the best decision. Darwin tends to describe a lot, and my mind easily wandered as long lists of descriptors made it difficult to understand what exactly Darwin was talking about. Reading the book would probably have given me a greater understanding and increased comprehension of what exactly Darwin studied, saw, and observed. But, one advantage to listening to the Voyage was that the narrator David Case, in a very old English accent, made me feel like Charles Darwin was the one speaking to me in first person. I was many times caught thinking that the narrator really was Darwin himself. Having never listened to an audiobook before, this experience was a lot of fun.

As we all know, in Darwin's voyage around the world, Darwin spent a lot of time studying nature and making very detailed observations - which to the untrained listener - that is me - seem tedious. But Darwin also had many human-to-human interactions with Gauchos in Argentina to governors and generals in South America. Darwin's commentary on his meetings with generals, governors, and commoners was the most interesting part of the audiobook as it gave me a feel for how Darwin felt about others around him. Darwin was definitely a product of Victorian society and thus had very defined views about what is civilized and what is barbaric, but in listening to the audiobook, I found that Darwin was not a racist as much as simply a proponent of his upbringing. To prove my point, I do remember that, at one point, Darwin denounces the practice of slavery.

Darwin's voyage is considered the defining event in his life that ultimately led to the formation of his theory of evolution by natural selection. While this book shows that Darwin's keen sense of observation and later application of his observations were the source of his success, another important aspect of his life can be gained by listening to this book, that Darwin truly had a love for nature. Many of his sketches of animals and beatles are not only detailed but written in an obviously excited state. Darwin had a passion for what he did - a lesson that we all could learn from.

a bit long but supremely entertaining :).......2007-05-02

This was the first book I had ever listened to rather than reading, and it was a great experience. Englishman David Case does a beautiful job narrating Darwin's classic journey. Since the book was compiled from Darwin's field notes and journal entries, I think listening is great because it was written in first-person. So the entire time, you're listening to this distinguished British accent mouthing Darwin's own words. It's hard to listen for any length of time without forgetting that you're not actually listening to Darwin himself.

I found it particularly amusing to listen to Case describe from Darwin's point of view the fascinating maneuvers of dung beetles, his description of the Spanish ladies of Buenos Aires, or the experience of tasting young tortoise soup and other exotic foods. His accounts of gaucho life in Argentina and of sneaking up behind the giant and seemingly deaf Galapagos tortoises were particularly entertaining.

Having been to several parts of South America which were visited on the voyage, I found this book to be really interesting and fun to follow along with. I would really like to visit the Galapagos or Tahiti now. I'm not sure if having visited the places makes the book more enjoyable, or if it's the other way around. I suppose I'll have to find out now. :)

Darwin's Journal.......2007-01-10

This audio book had an excelent reader, using pretty close to the dialect of the time. Which was good because I was using it for a character reference, playing Darwin in a theater piece. The book it self was a little long and winded. It was truely a journal of his voyage. Don't look for many of his scientific conclusions. For this you would want to get "Origin of the Spieces." It was filled with stories of his adventures and what he came accross on his trip. Good listening material for long driving trips. It was a bit dry for just sitting and listening to, but there were some entertaining parts burried in there.

What sparked evolution as an idea?.......2006-05-21

Charles Darwin: discoverer of evolution (more or less), civilizational icon, elderly white-bearded guy, and as it happens, quite the world traveler. Many of us recall Darwin's study of finches on the Galapagos Islands, and how the shape of their beak corresponds to the food supply on their particular island. This was, in fact, part of a five year long journey around the world that Darwin took as a young man fresh out of university. In these pages, The Voyage of the Beagle, Darwin put to paper his observations and speculations from that journey.

The Beagle itself was a smallish naval ship on a mission to perform various mappings and explorations. Darwin was on board, in part, to keep the captain company, something a man under the captain's direct command could not properly do. More importantly, Darwin went as a naturalist, fully intending to study the natural world as he encountered it. One can thus categorize his writings as covering three major themes. Zoology and to a lesser extent botany are what he is best known for, and Darwin describes the seemingly endless variety of life forms he came across. His studies were more than casual and he gives the reader some very detailed descriptions of his findings. Even well before the Galapagos Darwin made extensive commentary on how a life form interacts with its immediate environment. Clearly, we can see in retrospect that his mind was attuned to the question that would later provide him with greater name-recognition than most men that ever live. Closely related to his biological work are his geological observations. He spends as much time pondering the mountains and sea floor and cliffs and rivers as he does birds and lizards. Darwin was an enthusiastic follower of the latest findings in Geology, and was reading Charles Lyell's Principals of Geology en-route. From the start we see a smooth transition between his geological observations on the terrain and his biological observations. Darwin's key goal throughout is to understand how a living creature came to be born and survive in the place that it does. Even without this interplay, however, he treats geological observations as worthy and illustrative of the varied aspects of our view of the Earth. Finally, Darwin intersperses all this with nearly as many descriptions of the people and cultures as he does for flora or geology. Darwin set off on foot at nearly every stop the Beagle made, and was eager to see new things and meet new people. His conclusions range from the enthusiastic to the repulsive.

In Darwin's non-PC world, he had no hesitation in describing things as he saw them, and in his views on culture we find the most editorializing within these pages. He is, clearly, an enthusiastic supporter of civilization and humane qualities. This need not mean Western assimilation, though that doesn't hurt in his appraisal, but it does mean showing some sign of mental sophistication. Thus, the reader finds that his kindly descriptions of the Tahitians or Indians differ considerably from those of the South American Fuegians or Australian Aborigines. Though his tone may seem out of sorts to readers today, he is abundantly clear about his specific reasons for saying the things he does.

Darwin's two-year journey on the Beagle turned into a five-year journey in actuality. Four of those years, and all but the last hundred pages here, were spent in South America alone. Throughout he employs a somewhat detached style of presentation as was typical of the age. There are few of what we would consider lively passages. But he is ever-present as an observer of the surroundings. As fitting an age unaccustomed to extensive word of the world around it, his original readers must have found his vivid descriptions (and occasional drawings) breathtaking to consider. It was a different time in Darwin's day, and one wonders if the receptive people of England truly appreciated that they were holding the raw material from which one day would flow the most astounding scientific theory of that century.

Darwin emerges as a scientist.......2002-02-01

This was not the best choice for listening to in the car: too much tedious detail, and I found my mind wandering too often. Still, it was interesting, and I learned a lot.

Darwin was a promising but obscure student at Cambridge when he was suggested for the trip. By the time he returned, his reputation was made. It's not hard to see why: this book is packed with careful observations and attention to detail, as well as thoughtful analyses of topics from species extinction (though not origins at this stage) to the formation of coral atolls. Darwin is clearly very well-read and makes frequent references to the noted authorities of the time, sometimes supporting them and sometimes disagreeing.

I hadn't actually realized that the voyage of the Beagle was as long as it was. I saw it as a year or so, going from England to South America and back again. It was in fact a five-year, round-the-world cruise, covering the Pacific Islands, New Zealand, Australia, and numerous other locales as well as the well-known South America and the Galapagos.

My favorite parts are actually the more human anecdotes. Darwin is less than enchanted with New Zealand and Australia, and is not afraid of saying so, noting that most of the citizens are ex-convicts. My favorite single anecdote, though, is about the South American governor who is so dedicated to the rule of law that he has himself put in the stocks when he violates one of his own laws. Darwin also indicates his dislike of slavery and admits to feeling shame when he accidentally causes a male slave to flinch when he makes a threatening gesture to him. So much for that creationist conceit.

There are two appendices not written by Darwin. One is a summary of the orders given to Captain Fitzroy about the mission of the Beagle, which is very telling of the naval issues of the time. It focuses on getting accurate locations of known ports as well as the possible finding of new ones. As a Hornblower fan (and therefore with some interest in naval trivia), I found this very interesting.

The other appendix is Captain Fitzroy's attempt to construe their geological observations to be evidence of the Noachian Deluge. This is not on the same intellectual level as Darwin's writings, and I found it mostly of intellectual interest as evidence that creationist arguments have changed hardly at all in the last 175 years.

All in all, it's an interesting book and a classic of natural history, though not something I'd recommend listening to unless one has a passion for the subject.

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Excellent version

Must read for any science lover

Lots of Darwin

Open your mind..!!!!

The Origin of Species and the Voyage of the Beagle
Charles Darwin
Manufacturer: Everyman's Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1400041279
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Book Description

(Book Jacket Status: Jacketed)

Easily the most influential book published in the nineteenth century, Darwin’s The Origin of Species is also that most unusual phenomenon, an altogether readable discussion of a scientific subject. On its appearance in 1859 it was immediately recognized by enthusiasts and detractors alike as a work of the greatest importance: its revolutionary theory of evolution by means of natural selection provoked a furious reaction that continues to this day.

The Origin of Species is here published together with Darwin’s earlier Voyage of the ‘Beagle.’ This 1839 account of the journeys to South America and the Pacific islands that first put Darwin on the track of his remarkable theories derives an added charm from his vivid description of his travels in exotic places and his eye for the piquant detail.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent version.......2007-04-28

This is an excellent volume. Two of Charles Darwin's major works are included: "The Voyage of the Beagle" and "The Origin of Species." There is a well written and sprightly introduction by evolutionary theorist Richard Dawkins. One additional good feature is a Chronology, beginning on page xxxiv.

Dawkins sets the stage with his 20+ page introduction. He speaks eloquently of the importance of Darwin's work, and the profound nature of his theoretical perspective on evolution. He places Darwin's work in an historical context, in which we see other theorists before Darwin working on how to explain change in animal species. He concludes with the strong statement that (Page xxix): "[Darwin] also gave us by far the most plausible theory for how evolution has taken place, the theory of natural selection."

Darwin's "The Voyage of the Beagle" provides a view of his trip, as the resident naturalist, on the ship Beagle, during which time (left England in 1831 and returned in 1836) he made myriad observations that helped him work through his theory of evolution. As he notes elsewhere (page 537), the facts that he observed on this voyage "seemed to me to throw new light on the origin of species. . . ." Upon reflection, he felt that this voyage had been a wonderful developmental experience in his life. He observes (Page 516): "In conclusion, it appears to me that nothing can be more improving to a young naturalist, than a journey in distant countries. It both sharpens, and partly allays that want and craving, which. . .a man experiences although every corporeal sense be fully satisfied."

There follows his chef d'ouevre, "On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection." The chapter headings are key for understanding the logic of evolution, with natural selection as a key force in explaining change in species, among which chapters are "Variation under Nature," "Struggle for Existence," "Natural Selection," "On the Imperfection of the Fossil Record," and "On the Geological Succession of Organic Beings." A brief quotation at the end of this book encapsulates the basic logic (Page 913):

"These laws [of nature]. . .being Growth with Reproduction: Inheritance which is almost implied by reproduction; Variability from the direct and indirect action of the external conditions of life, and from use and disuse; a Ratio of Increase so high as to lead to a Struggle for Life, and as a consequence to Natural Selection, entailing Divergence of Character and the Extinction of less-improved forms."

Such a straightforward logic: inheritance of characteristics from generation to generation; variability in characteristics within a species; more individuals born than the carrying capacity of the land can provide for; selection of those individuals' whose characteristic best facilitate survival and subsequent reproduction. Darwin surely had errors and problems in this work. Nonetheless, it remains one of the most important scientific contributions of the last millennium.

His theory has stood up well over time; one major problem, the explanation for the transmission of characteristics from generation to generation, was solved independently by the developing understanding of genetics. When natural selection and genetics were wed in the "synthetic theory of evolution," associated with thinkers like Mayr and others, Darwin's theory reached its culmination.

Must read for any science lover.......2006-11-06

This collection is truly wonderful, and a must read for any up and coming evolutionist, or even if you are just looking to learn a bit more about evolutionary theory. The Origin or Species doesn't read like a text, rather it's an intellectual piece that casually discusses his theory. I found the Voyage of the Beagle to be rather interesting as well. I've read several books detailing nautical adventures, and this by far is the absolute best!

Lots of Darwin.......2005-05-03

Origin of Species

This is a quick review of the book not a dissertation on Darwin or any other subject loosely related. At first I did not know what to expect. I already read " The Voyage of the Beagle: Charles Darwin's Journal of Researches". I figured the book would be similar. However I found "Origin" to be more complex and detailed.

Taking in account that recent pieces of knowledge were not available to Charles Darwin this book could have been written last week. Having to look from the outside without the knowledge of DNA or Plate Tectonics, he pretty much nailed how the environment and crossbreeding would have an effect on natural selection. Speaking of natural selection, I thought his was going to be some great insight to a new concept. All it means is that species are not being mucked around by man (artificial selection).

If you picked up Time magazine today you would find all the things that Charles said would be near impossible to find or do. Yet he predicted that it is doable in theory. With an imperfect geological record many things he was not able to find at the writing of this book have been found (according to the possibilities described in the book.)
The only draw back to the book was his constant apologizing. If he had more time and space he could prove this and that. Or it looks like this but who can say at this time. Or the same evidence can be interpreted 180 degrees different.

In the end it is worth reading and you will never look at life the same way again.

------------------------------------------------------
Voyage of the Beagle

Remember this says "Journal" and that is what it is. It is his first parson adventures on and off the Beagle. He even includes stories about the people on the ship, the ship's life, and maintenance. He is always going ashore and venturing beyond the ship charter to go where no Englishman has gone before. He makes friends with tyrants and the down trodden. Once, to get an animal to come to him, he lay on his back and waved his arms and legs in the air. Whatever you do, do not turn your back on him. He is always knocking something on the head and taking it back for study. It is fun trying to match the old names for places with the new.

Open your mind..!!!!.......2005-04-12

This book is something everyone should read....Its next to the bible and is something most people talk about but fail to fully understand the work..OPEN YOUR MIND...after all God gave you one...USE IT...if we did not have the bible This book would be what you preach..!!

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