Explores Charles Darwin’s life and the ideas that shaped his science, from family roots to groundbreaking theories.
This nonfiction work surveys the life and work of the naturalist, tracing Darwin’s influences, the climate of ideas in his time, and how his famous theory developed. It places him in the context of predecessors and rivals, from Erasmus Darwin to Cuvier, St. Hilaire, and Lyell, and shows how debates about evolution and adaptation evolved in nineteenth‑century science.
- Learn how Darwin’s early life and education fed his curiosity about biology
- See how other thinkers’ ideas, from Lamarck to Vestiges, influenced the reception of evolution
- Understand the shift from morphology to adaptation and the role of natural selection in shaping ideas
- Discover the biographical details and character traits that accompanied Darwin’s scientific work
Ideal for readers who want a clear, accessible account of Darwin’s place in scientific history, and for anyone curious about how ideas in biology moved from speculation to widely accepted theory.