In Darwin's Fishes, Daniel Pauly presents an encyclopaedia of ichthyology, ecology and evolution, based upon everything that Charles Darwin ever wrote about fish. Entries are arranged alphabetically and can be about, for example, a particular fish taxon, an anatomical part, a chemical substance, a scientist, a place, or an evolutionary or ecological concept. The reader can start wherever they like and are then led by a series of cross-references on a fascinating voyage of interconnected entries, each indirectly or directly connected with original writings from Darwin himself. Along the way, the reader is offered interpretation of the historical material put in the context of both Darwin's time and that of contemporary biology and ecology. This book is intended for anyone interested in fishes, the work of Charles Darwin, evolutionary biology and ecology, and natural history in general.

A complete scientific biography of Darwin that takes into account the latest research findings, both published and unpublished, on the life of this remarkable man. Considered the first book to thoroughly emphasize Darwin’s research in various fields of endeavor, what he did, why he did it, and its implications for his time and ours. Rather than following a strictly chronological approach - a narrative choice that characteristically offers an ascent to On the Origin of Species (1859) with a rapid decline in interest following its publication and reception - this book stresses the diversity and full extent of Darwin’s career by providing a series of chapters centering on various intellectual topics and scientific specializations that interested Darwin throughout his life. Authored by academics with years of teaching and discussing Darwin, Darwin's Sciences is suited to any biologist who is interested in the deeper implications of Darwin's research.

Sets out an original perspective on Darwin's argument for the theory of natural selection.

“If you’ve ever fantasized walking and conversing with the great scientist on the subjects that consumed him, and now wish to add the fullness of reality, read this book.” —Edward O. Wilson, author of Half-Earth: Our Planet’s Fight for Life James T. Costa takes readers on a journey from Darwin’s childhood through his voyage on the HMS Beagle, where his ideas on evolution began, and on to Down House, his bustling home of forty years. Using his garden and greenhouse, the surrounding meadows and woodlands, and even the cellar and hallways of his home-turned-field-station, Darwin tested ideas of his landmark theory of evolution through an astonishing array of experiments without using specialized equipment. From those results, he plumbed the laws of nature and drew evidence for the revolutionary arguments of On the Origin of Species and other watershed works. This unique perspective introduces us to an enthusiastic correspondent, collaborator, and, especially, an incorrigible observer and experimenter. And it includes eighteen experiments for home, school, or garden. Finalist for the 2018 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prizes for Excellence in Science Books.

Throughout the 19th century in the British Empire, parallel developments in science and the law were squeezing Aborigines everywhere into nonexistence. Charles Darwin took part in this. Again and again, he expressed his approval of the extermination of the native lower races. The more interesting part of the story is that there were plenty of voices, albeit a minority and mostly forgotten now, who objected on humanitarian grounds (and sometimes scientific grounds as well). Europeans, they said, were becoming polished savages and dehumanizing the Other. Darwin was very aware of this criticism and cared not one whit. As he said in a letter to Charles Lyell, I care not much whether we are looked at as mere savages in a remotely distant future. But he well knew it was not a remote future. He had read several writers who accused Europeans of being the real savages. For a brief moment in his youth in his Diary, he himself dabbled in such criticism, even though he already believed in the inferiority of indigenous peoples. That belief grew firmer as he matured. Darwin did not dispute humanitarians so much as he ignored them. Its a sad story. But oh those humanitarians, how they inspire.

Darwin and the Barnacle by Rebecca Stott, lavishly illustrated and superbly told, is the fascinating story of how genius sometimes proceeds through indirection - and how one small item of curiosity contributed to history's most spectacular scientific breakthrough.

'This is a book that required a great many research hours, the kind of volume you may be glad someone took the time to compile.'The Quarterly Review of Biology This is the ultimate guide to the life and work of Charles Darwin. The result of decades of research through a vast and daunting literature which is hard for beginners and experts alike to navigate, it brings together widely scattered facts including very many unknown to even the most ardent Darwin aficionados. It includes hundreds of new discoveries and corrections to the existing literature. It provides the most complete summaries of his publications, manuscripts, lifetime itinerary, finances, personal library, friends and colleagues, opponents, visitors to his home, anniversaries, hundreds of flora, fauna, monuments and places named after him and a host of other topics. Also included are the most complete lists (iconographies) ever created of illustrations of the Beagle, over 1000 portraits of Darwin, his wife and home as well as all known Darwin photographs, stamps and caricatures. The book is richly illustrated with 350 images, most previously unknown.

Darwin is credited with discovering evolution through natural selection, but Alfred Russel Wallace saw the same process at work in nature and elaborated the same theory. Dispelling misperceptions of Wallace as a secondary figure, James Costa reveals the two naturalists as equals in advancing one of the greatest scientific discoveries of all time.

In Edward Bagnall Sir Poulton's work, 'Charles Darwin and the Theory of Natural Selection,' the reader is taken on a journey through the life and groundbreaking discoveries of Charles Darwin, particularly focusing on his theory of natural selection. Poulton's literary style is both informative and engaging, providing a detailed analysis of Darwin's theory within the context of the scientific and social milieu of the 19th century. Through meticulous research and compelling writing, Poulton sheds light on the importance of Darwin's theory in the broader scope of scientific thought and its impact on the field of biology. The book is a must-read for those interested in evolutionary biology and the history of science. Edward Bagnall Sir Poulton, a renowned biologist and historian of science, delves into Darwin's life and work with a depth of knowledge and insight that only a true expert in the field could provide. Poulton's understanding of Darwin's contributions to the study of evolution enriches the narrative, making it a valuable resource for scholars and enthusiasts alike. I highly recommend 'Charles Darwin and the Theory of Natural Selection' to anyone seeking a comprehensive and engaging exploration of one of the most influential scientific theories in history. Poulton's expertise and passion for the subject shine through in this masterful work.

Many people look at the world through a scientific lens that seems to forbid religious conviction, but then find themselves drawn by curiosity, if not longing, to the religious worldview. Is this tension inevitable . . . or unnecessary? The famously successful marriage of Charles and Emma Darwin illustrates the problem. Charles and Emma were very close to each other in social background and knowledge of the world, yet they found it difficult to agree on the Question of God. Were their religious beliefs driven apart more by his science or by their society? Were these potentially compatible, or inherently irreconcilable? Charles and Emma Darwin: The Option to Believe searches for answers in the family’s history and individual personalities, as well as in the cultural, social, and intellectual history of that family’s society. The book also looks back on the Darwins’ predicament from the perspective of modern science and theology and suggests it is society, not science, that creates the modern tension between science and religion. There is an intellectual option to believe in God that seemed unavailable to Victorians like Charles Darwin yet is certainly available to us today.