Overview
As a child, Charles Darwin was so fascinated by nature that he was unable to concentrate on any other subject. He floundered in school and college, and his family despaired that he'd never amount to anything. But while studying at Cambridge University in England, to become a minister, Darwin's love of nature matured into an interest in science, and he began to devotedly study the natural world.
Through his science teachers at Cambridge, Darwin was offered a chance to serve as a naturalist aboard the HMS Beagle, a British naval ship exploring the southern hemisphere. What Darwin observed on his voyage, particularly on the Galapagos Islands, challenged what he knew of the natural world, and he became obsessed with finding a new theory to explain the variety of life that he witnessed. The theory he'd come up with after decades of work would revolutionize the field of natural science, drag Darwin into bitter controversy, and redefine the way people observed and understood the world.
Editorials
Children's Literature -
This volume from the "Profiles in Science" series tells the story of the life and career of Charles Darwin, the natural scientist who traveled around the world on a British naval ship, the Beagle, in the 1830's. Based on his observations of the variations in various species of flora and fauna that he collected during that five-year voyage, Darwin later formulated his comprehensive yet controversial theory of the origin of species by natural selection. Origin: The story of Charles Darwin begins with Darwin as a young man—a mediocre student, whose father was extremely concerned that he would be a disgrace to himself and his family. As time passed, however, Darwin's interest in the natural world and his tireless efforts to collect specimens from that world eventually resulted in an illustrious career in the natural sciences. This biography also focuses particular attention on the scientific colleagues who influenced Darwin's work, including Charles Lydell, the author of Principles of Geology, which argued that the earth has been in a continual and gradual state of flux, contrary to the prevailing belief at that time; Joseph Dalton Hooker, one of the 19th century's leading scientists and the director of the Royal Botanical Gardens; Richard Owen, one of Britain's foremost zoologists and anatomists, who received and analyzed many of the specimens collected by Darwin during his years on the Beagle; Thomas Robert Malthus, author of a treatise entitled An Essay on the Principle of Population, which provided Darwin with an essential insight into the concept of natural selection; and Thomas H. Huxley, one of Darwin's earliest and most vocal supporters. The final twochapters of the book describe the controversy that erupted after The Origin of Species was finally published in 1859, as well as the later years of Darwin's life and eventual burial with other eminent British scientists in Westminster Cathedral. This is a well-written biography for young adults interested in learning more about Charles Darwin and his theory regarding the origin of species. Reviewer: Charles WymanSchool Library Journal
Gr 9 Up
Darwin's life and work after the voyage of the Beagle make up the bulk of this biography. Leone traces the roots of Darwin's thought and introduces the important scientists of his time who influenced, supported, and criticized his theories. Drawings and photos in color and sepia lighten the dense, fact-filled writing, which occasionally has the tone of a research paper. Short essays on lightly tinted pages explain concepts such as the meaning of the word "species," the theory of creationism, and the contributions of Gregor Mendel. Although most quotations are taken from primary sources, others are attributed to previous biographers. For example, a quotation from the headmaster of Darwin's school, "this stupid fellow will attend to...rubbish but will not work at anything really useful," is listed in the source notes as coming from a 1962 biography. Rebecca Stefoff's Charles Darwin: And the Evolution Revolution (Oxford Univ., 1996) is more fluid and easier to read, and Deborah Heiligman's Charles and Emma (Holt, 2009) is a well-researched and engaging biography with a stronger focus on Darwin's life and relationships. A more useful volume for researchers is Patrick H. Armstrong's All Things Darwin: An Encyclopedia of Darwin's World (Greenwood, 2007).-Ellen Heath, Easton Area Public Library, Easton, PA