Darwin: Portrait of a GeniusEminent historian Paul Johnson provides a rich, succinct portrait of Charles Darwin Charles Darwin is arguably the most influential scientist of all time. His Origin of Species forever changed our concept of the world’s creation. Darwin’s revolutionary career is the perfect vehicle for historian Paul Johnson. Marked by the insightful observation, spectacular wit, and highly readable prose for which Johnson is so well regarded, Darwin brings the gentleman-scientist and his times brilliantly into focus. From Darwin’s birth into great fortune to his voyage aboard the Beagle, to the long-delayed publication of his masterpiece, Johnson delves into what made this Victorian gentleman into a visionary scientist—and into the tragic flaws that later led Darwin to support the burgeoning eugenics movement. Johnson’s many admirers as well as history and science buffs will be grateful for this superb account of Darwin and the everlasting impact of his discoveries. |
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Alfred Russel Wallace animals barnacles Beagle voyage became become believe birds birth called Cambridge century chapter Charles Darwin coral creatures Darwin never Darwin took Darwin was able Darwinian death delight Descent dissecting doctor dysgenics Edinburgh edition Emma Emma Darwin emotional England enormous Erasmus eugenics evidence evolution extermination fact father fear fittest FitzRoy forms Francis Galton Fuegans Galápagos Galton garden genetics genius Geological German Henslow highly HMS Beagle Hooker huge human Huxley inheritance insects intellectual Islands Josiah Wedgwood kind laws learned letter London Lyell Malthus's mammals marriage married Mendel million mind natural selection naturalist observed organic Origin of Species phrase plants polymath population Priestley produced progress published race read Malthus reason religious Robert Darwin savages scientific scientists social Darwinism Spencer sterilization struggle success survived T. H. Huxley Tennyson theory of natural thought Tierra del Fuego universe Wallace Wedgwood Wilberforce word wrote