Two hundred years after Charles Darwin's birth (February 12, 1809), this thoroughly illustrated, yet concise biography reveals the great scientist as husband, father, and friend. Tim M. Berra, whose "Darwin: The Man" lectures are in high demand worldwide, tells the fascinating story of the person and the idea that changed everything. Berra discusses Darwin's revolutionary scientific work, its impact on modern-day biological science, and the influence of Darwin's evolutionary theory on Western thought. But Berra digs deeper to reveal Darwin the man by combining anecdotes with carefully selected illustrations and photographs. This small gem of a book includes 20 color plates and 60 black-and-white illustrations, along with an annotated list of Darwin's publications and a chronology of his life.
Summary: A perfect introduction to Darwin, the man
Rating: 5 It's just a cliché, but sometimes very good things (besides jewelry) really do come in small packages. Another aphorism claims it is harder and more rewarding to write compactly than voluminously, and Prof. Berra has proved the point elegantly with this gem of an introduction to Charles Darwin's life and work. Spanning only 114 pages from Introduction through Index, and generously illustrated to boot, the book gave me a pleasant imion of being just right for acquiring an initial understanding of the legendary naturalist's character, the power of his ideas, and the tenor of his times. Though mainly a descriptive biography, Berra's narrative also contains insightful explanations of Darwin's thought processes in discovering the historical fact of biological evolution and its integral mechanism of chance variation mediated by natural selection. Included are such key details as Darwin's own capsule definition of evolution (descent with modification), and his pioneering use of a "tree of life" diagram, the sole illustration in "On the Origin of Species." Darwin's rare missteps, such as his mistaken suspicion that acquired characteristics could be inherited, are neither ignored nor glossed over. Darwin's sudden realization in 1858 that he had a serious intellectual competitor, Alfred Russel Wallace, caused him great mental and physical distress. But it also had the beneficial effect of goading him into "Origin" within a year. What might have become a bitter rivalry was peacefully handled by simultaneous presentations of the theory as a co-discovery. Berra includes an 1860 quotation from Wallace showing his remarkably unselfish admiration for the depth and quality of Darwin's work. The author is careful to set things straight regarding Darwin's often-misunderstood religious views, including the apparently fictional deathbed conversion. Although his chief objective was simply to study and understand natural history, Darwin inadvertantly found himself in the position of having made the most important discovery since Biblical times bearing on the question of divine versus natural origins for living things. As a young man he had begun training for the ministry, so he fully appreciated the religious sensibilities of most people, including his beloved wife Emma. He was a keen observer and interpreter of all kinds of evidence, such as the many apparent cruelties built into nature and the seemingly senseless deaths of two of his own children. Perhaps the essence of Darwin's final attitude toward faith-based claims anticipated the conclusion voiced in 1959 by physicist Richard Feynman: "The religious theory of the world...doesn't fit with what you see."
Summary: Charles Darwin
Rating: 5 I just recently finished reading a great novel created by the author, Tim M. Berra. Before I read this book, I knew nothing of the great scientist and discoverer, Charles Darwin. This book had many great and specific facts, and taught me almost everything of Charles Darwin and his famous work. The first part of the book taught me of his family's past. For example, one of his family members that I can recall is his grandfather. His name was Erasmus Darwin and he was a poet, a physician, and was fascinated with natural philosophy. Towards the middle of this educational and interesting book, it taught me mostly of Charles Darwin's life that had generalized summaries, but also had specific details, such as how Charles Darwin enjoyed going for a walk everyday with his dog Polly, rain or shine. It also discussed with the reader his important work, and his discovery of evolution, how he collected samples and how he figured out and realized his discovery. Finally, towards the end of the book, it was mostly about his and his discoveries being released into the world. It also talked about Charles Darwin's last days. I throughly enjoyed this biography of Charles Darwin's discoveries, and various relationships in his life.

 

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