Charles Darwin: The Concise Story of an Extraordinary Man

by Tim M. Berra

Overview

A brief biography of English naturalist responsible for the advancement of the science of evolution.

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 tells the fascinating story of the man 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.

“Berra meets the essential curiosities a reader new to Darwin will have about a scientist still controversial in some quarters: Berra describes Darwin’s wealthy family background; notes his search for a purpose in life, which led to his embarkation on the survey ship HMS Beagle; chronicles Darwin’s fabled voyage on that ship; steers Darwin into his happy marriage to an heiress to the Wedgwood pottery fortune; and recounts the éclat with which On the Origin of Species burst upon the world in 1859. . . . A finer asset of this volume is its abundance of portraits and illustrations, including a suite of photos taken by Berra of Darwin’s home.” —Booklist

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780801896309
Publisher:	Johns Hopkins University Press
Publication date:	04/27/2021
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	157
Sales rank:	306,085
File size:	7 MB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Tim M. Berra is professor emeritus of evolution, ecology, and organismal biology at the Ohio State University and a three-time Fulbright grant recipient. He is the author of several books, including Evolution and the Myth of Creationism.

Table of Contents

Preface
Introduction
1. An Admirable Pedigree
2. A Privileged Youth
3. Exploration
4. Discovery
5. Maturity
6. A Proposal
7. Life at Down House
8. Correspondence
9. Daily Routine
10. Taxonomy and Selection
11. Alfred Russel Wallace and The Origin
12. What Darwin Said
13. Darwin's Bulldog
14. A Man of Enlarged Curiosity
15. Darwin's Death
16. Epilogue
Appendixes
A. Books
B. Chronology
C. Darwin Online
D. Dates
References
Index

Editorial Reviews

Derived from the author's popular "Darwin Days" campus lectures, this succinct biography spans Darwin's life in 15 brief chapters and reads like a museum guide, hitting the high points in an easily assimilated style. The copious illustrations, though, including reproductions of period paintings, title page facsimiles, and many of the author's own photographs, are worth poring over and may hold readers' attention longer than it takes to peruse the text. Patrons who want a quick, no-frills but still authoritative read on Darwin's life couldn't find a better source.

—Gregg Sapp

Library Journal

The ensemble of text and illustrations will render an indelible image of Darwin for those beginning to study him, and evolution, while a brief bibliography points the way to further exploration.
—Booklist

This succinct biography spans Darwin's life in 15 brief chapters and reads like a museum guide, hitting the high points in an easily assimilated style. The copious illustrations, though, including reproductions of period paintings, title page facsimiles, and many of the author's own photographs, are worth poring over and may hold readers' attention longer than it takes to peruse the text. Patrons who want a quick, no-frills but still authoritative read on Darwin's life couldn't find a better source.
—Library Journal

A splendid overview derived from a series of lectures, and beautifully illustrated, with a detailed publishing history of all of Darwin's works.
—Nicholas Basbanes, finebooksmagazine.com

Charles Darwin: The Concise Story of an Extraordinary Man is the best brief biography on the market.
—Northern Territory News

Berra moves quickly through the life, yet finds time to include telling details, as well as sketches of appealing secondary characters.
—David Lumsden, Australian Book Review

Berra, a retired professor of evolution who gives popular lectures on Darwin, writes leanly and to the point, but still produces a vivid and detailed portrait.
—Scott LaFee, San Diego Union-Tribune

This work will be useful for introductory students and the general public . . . Recommended. All undergraduate and public libraries.
—Choice

This jewel box of a book offers an imminently readable tour of the great man. Every spread includes illustrations with fascinating captions.
—Jeffrey Cyphers Wright, Brooklyn Rail

Berra has done masterful work, providing a lively and succinct account of Darwin's life that will provide an excellent introduction for the new reader who is interested in Darwin as well as a helpful review for knowledgeable Darwin enthusiasts!
—Charles F. Urbanowicz, Reports of the National Center for Science Education

There can be no doubt that this book will be very warmly received by Darwin enthusiasts because it is a passionate, well-informed, entertaining and colourful introduction to his life and achievements.
—Marta Cunat Romero, European Review of History

From the Publisher

Berra has done masterful work, providing a lively and succinct account of Darwin's life that will provide an excellent introduction for the new reader who is interested in Darwin as well as a helpful review for knowledgeable Darwin enthusiasts!

Reports of the National Center for Science Education - Charles F. Urbanowicz

A splendid overview derived from a series of lectures, and beautifully illustrated, with a detailed publishing history of all of Darwin's works.

finebooksmagazine.com - Nicholas Basbanes

There can be no doubt that this book will be very warmly received by Darwin enthusiasts because it is a passionate, well-informed, entertaining and colourful introduction to his life and achievements.

European Review of History - Marta Cunat Romero

This work will be useful for introductory students and the general public . . . Recommended. All undergraduate and public libraries.

Choice

Charles Darwin: The Concise Story of an Extraordinary Man is the best brief biography on the market.

Northern Territory News

Berra moves quickly through the life, yet finds time to include telling details, as well as sketches of appealing secondary characters.

Australian Book Review - David Lumsden

Berra, a retired professor of evolution who gives popular lectures on Darwin, writes leanly and to the point, but still produces a vivid and detailed portrait.

San Diego Union-Tribune - Scott LaFee

The ensemble of text and illustrations will render an indelible image of Darwin for those beginning to study him, and evolution, while a brief bibliography points the way to further exploration.

Booklist

This jewel box of a book offers an imminently readable tour of the great man. Every spread includes illustrations with fascinating captions.

Brooklyn Rail - Jeffrey Cyphers Wright

"The ensemble of text and illustrations will render an indelible image of Darwin for those beginning to study him, and evolution, while a brief bibliography points the way to further exploration."

Booklist

There can be no doubt that this book will be very warmly received by Darwin enthusiasts because it is a passionate, well-informed, entertaining and colourful introduction to his life and achievements.

— Marta Cunat Romero

European Review of History

Berra has done masterful work, providing a lively and succinct account of Darwin's life that will provide an excellent introduction for the new reader who is interested in Darwin as well as a helpful review for knowledgeable Darwin enthusiasts!

— Charles F. Urbanowicz

Reports of the National Center for Science Education

This jewel box of a book offers an imminently readable tour of the great man. Every spread includes illustrations with fascinating captions.

— Jeffrey Cyphers Wright

Brooklyn Rail

Berra, a retired professor of evolution who gives popular lectures on Darwin, writes leanly and to the point, but still produces a vivid and detailed portrait.

— Scott LaFee

San Diego Union-Tribune

Berra moves quickly through the life, yet finds time to include telling details, as well as sketches of appealing secondary characters.

— David Lumsden

Australian Book Review

A splendid overview derived from a series of lectures, and beautifully illustrated, with a detailed publishing history of all of Darwin's works.

— Nicholas Basbanes

finebooksmagazine.com