"Quammen brilliantly and powerfully re-creates the 19th century naturalist's intellectual and spiritual journey."--Los Angeles Times Book Review Twenty-one years passed between Charles Darwin's epiphany that "natural selection" formed the basis of evolution and the scientist's publication of On the Origin of Species. Why did Darwin delay, and what happened during the course of those two decades? The human drama and scientific basis of these years constitute a fascinating, tangled tale that elucidates the character of a cautious naturalist who initiated an intellectual revolution.

First published in 1892, this autobiography of the great naturalist, compiled and edited by his son Francis, offers fascinating glimpses into the mind and personal experiences of the man whose discoveries have had such a profound influence on science, philosophy, and the modern world view. In the first half of the book Darwin reminisces about his early life, his family and upbringing, and his five-year voyage on the HMS Beagle, during which he made the many observations that were later to prove so critical to his formulation of evolutionary theory. The second half is devoted mainly to the Origin of Species: its foundations, development, the writing and publication process, its varied critical reception, and the gradual acceptance and growth of evolutionary theory. Also included are thoughts on his lesser-known work in geology and the fertilization of flowers, plus a selection of his letters.This autobiography is a an intriguing behind-the-scenes look into the personal life of a great scientist and the development of one of the most powerful ideas of the modern era.

A fresh account of Charles Darwin’s rich personal and professional lives, well beyond On the Origin of Species. In 1859 Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species. With this bedrock of biology books, Darwin carved a new origin-story for all life: evolution rather than creation. But this single book is not the whole story. In this new biography, J. David Archibald describes and analyzes Darwin’s prodigious body of work and complex relationships with colleagues, as well as his equally productive home life—he lived with his wife and seven surviving children in the bustling environs of Down House, south of London. There, among his family and friends, Darwin continued to experiment and write many more books on orchids, sex, emotions, and earthworms until his death in 1882, when he was honored with burial at Westminster Abbey. This is a fresh, up-to-date account of the life and work of a most remarkable man.

Charles Darwin is the English naturalist whose work laid the foundation for evolutionary biology and theory. Darwin wrote his autobiography under the title Recollections of the Development of my Mind and Character in 1876. He wrote it for his family, but his son edited and published the autobiography five years after Darwin's death in 1882, removing some of the critical passages about God and Christianity.

"I may, of course, be egregiously wrong; but I cannot persuade myself that a theory which explains several large classes of facts can be wholly wrong." - Charles Darwin, November 13, 1859 Originally published in 1892, this autobiography of the great naturalist and father of modern biology, compiled and edited by his son Francis, is a an intriguing behind-the-scenes look into the personal life of a great scientist and the development of one of the most powerful ideas of the modern era. Although a short book, it is filled with absorbing and interesting glimpses into the mind and personal experiences of the man whose discoveries have had such a profound influence on science, philosophy, and the modern scientific perspective. In the first half of the book Darwin reminisces about his early life, his family and upbringing, and his five-year voyage on the HMS Beagle, during which he made the many observations that were later to prove so critical to his formulation of evolutionary theory. The second half is devoted mainly to the Origin of Species: its foundations, development, the writing and publication process, its varied critical reception, and the gradual acceptance and growth of evolutionary theory. Also included are thoughts on his lesser-known work in geology and the fertilization of flowers, plus a selection of his letters. Contents CAMBRIDGE 1828-1831. "VOYAGE OF THE 'BEAGLE' FROM DECEMBER 27, 1831, TO OCTOBER 2, 1836." FROM MY RETURN TO ENGLAND (OCTOBER 2, 1836) TO MY MARRIAGE (JANUARY 29, FROM MY MARRIAGE, JANUARY 29, 1839, AND RESIDENCE IN UPPER GOWER STREET, RESIDENCE AT DOWN FROM SEPTEMBER 14, 1842, TO THE PRESENT TIME, 1876. MY SEVERAL PUBLICATIONS. WRITTEN MAY 1ST, 1881.

Charles Darwin s book about his grandfather, The Life of Erasmus Darwin, is curiously fascinating. Before publication in 1879, it was shortened by 16%, with several of the cuts directed at its most provocative parts. The cutter, with Charles s permission, was his daughter Henrietta - an example of the strong hidden hand of meek-seeming Victorian women. This first unabridged edition, edited by Desmond King-Hele, includes all that Charles originally intended, the cuts being restored and printed in italics. Erasmus Darwin was one of the leading intellectuals of the eighteenth century. He was a respected physician, a well-known poet, a keen mechanical inventor, and a founding member of the influential Lunar Society. He also possessed an amazing insight into the many branches of physical and biological science. Most notably, he adopted what we now call biological evolution as his theory of life, 65 years prior to Charles Darwin s Origin of Species.