An edition of The Reluctant Mr. Darwin (2006)
The Reluctant Mr. Darwin
An Intimate Portrait of Charles Darwin and the Making of His Theory of Evolution (Great Discoveries)
By David Quammen
Publish Date
July 30, 2007
Publisher
W. W. Norton
Language
eng
Pages
304
Description:
"Charles Darwin was by nature a homebody, a breeder of pigeons, a close student of barnacles--in short, a cautious and deeply shy man. Yet he found himself burdened with a profoundly radical insight. This elusive character, whose theories have had such a revolutionizing impact on our understanding of nature, remains as misapprehended as his most wondrous, frightening idea: "natural selection," the primary mechanism of evolution. In this concise and powerful biography, David Quammen captures the complex development of Darwin's thoughts, showing the celebrated natural scientist in all his apprehensions, doubts, and brilliance."--Publisher's website. Traces the twenty-one-year period between Charles Darwin's original idea about natural selection and the publication of "On the Origin of Species," in an account that offers insight into his experiences as a cautious naturalist.