Darwin: Discovering the Tree of Life

Book Description

A riveting tribute to Charles Darwin's life and ideas in celebration of his 200th birthday.

Charles Darwin's ideas resonate deeply in Western culture today, and his theory still lies at the heart of modern scientific evolutionary research. As other nineteenth-century figures fade, Darwin's theory of evolution still provokes controversy, spilling over into curriculum battles at state and local school boards in the United States and around the world.

In exploring the everyday artifacts of Darwin's life, his notebooks, and early manuscripts, Niles Eldredge—"a candid, no-punches-pulled interpreter of the core ideas of evolutionary biology" (Science News)—provides a rare glimpse into the mind of this highly intuitive, creative scientist. The celebration of Charles Darwin's 200th birthday in 2009 begins in November 2005 with the opening of a major exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, curated by Eldredge, that will travel across the nation. More than a companion book to the exhibit, Darwin is a rich and inspiring reconstruction of Darwin's life through his writings and discoveries. Color throughout, 100 illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

One of the Best Short Books on Darwin.......2007-09-16

Niles Eldredge is an excellent writer on evolutionary theory and he was certainly a good choice to write the companion volume for the American Museum of Natural History's 200th birthday of Charles Darwin exhibition. In "Charles Darwin: Discovering the Tree of Life" he covers not only the basis of Darwinian thinking, but adds illustrations of Down House, the famous sand walk, various documents associated with Darwin and some modern phylogenetic analyses. Indeed, this book gives the reader a peek into Darwin's very though processes, where he was on the right track and where he went wrong on occasion. Darwin's accomplishment is not diminished by his errors, but is more appreciated by the difficulties of arriving at the truth, or as much of the truth as humans can comprehend.

If you cannot read Janet Browne's detailed two volume biography, this is certainly the book to read! While a great companion to the exhibit, if the reader has the opportunity to see it, it is also a stand alone text that is well worth the effort to read on its own!

Explaining Darwin and defending evolution.......2007-05-07

Eldredge is the curator of the exhibit currently at the American Museum of Natural History focusing on Darwin. This is the obligatory "companion book" to the exhibit, though in fact it's far more than just a picture book of the exhibit with explanatory captions.

The first two chapters are largely a brief biography, of Darwin but also the background that led up to his dramatic breakthrough in his understanding of natural selection. The next two chapters are perhaps the heart of the book, as Eldredge takes us through Darwin's various notebooks and manuscripts, showing in Darwin's own writings how he groped his way toward Origin of Species and the ideas therein. The last two chapters are perhaps the most interesting part of all. Eldredge focuses on what we know today about biology, and how it has followed from Darwin. Eldredge has his own strong opinions--as one of the founders, with Stephen Jay Gould, of the theory of punctuated equilibrium--and does not hesitate to cast views through that prism. He is particularly interested in effects secondary to natural selection but still significant, like geographic isolation. And the final chapter has the striking title "Darwin as Anti-Christ: Creationism in the Twenty-first Century." Here he initially points out that creationism held full sway in Darwin's world, and it was the strength of Darwin's arguments that brought it down. He then revisits some of the key arguments in evolution's favor: the nested hierarchy, the progression from simple to complex, the fossil record that clearly shows the divergence of humans from apes. He spends several pages comparing the bifurcated development according to natural selection with the more complex development of a designed object, specifically the cornet, in which good ideas jump from one lineage to another, something that is never ever seen in the tree of life.

Speaking as a non-expert, I found this a very worthwhile book, both for learning more about Darwin and his thought, and about how to muster additional arguments - as if any should be necessary - against creationism.

Insightful and Thorough Examination of Darwin's Life, Ideas, and Influence.......2007-04-25

Written by the paleontologist and evolutionary biologist Niles Eldridge, who helped formulate the theory of punctuated equilibrium with Stephen Jay Gould, this biography provides a fresh and engaging new look at the life of Charles Darwin. With his background in evolutionary sciences, Eldridge is very knowledgable about the science of evolution and also has a passion for the subject which comes through clearly in his lively and smoothly flowing prose.
Eldridge does provide a brief "thumbnail sketch" of Darwin's life and spends several chapters discussing more biographical details relating to the publication of Darwin's books and the development of his intellectual ideas, but what sets this biography apart is its focus on more than just the historical facts. As a scientist, Eldridge delves deep into the science of evolution by natural selection: both how Darwin understood and conceived of it and how evolutionary theory has evolved itself in the past 150 years. He also includes a chapter about the controversy between Darwinism and the religious right that provides a scientist's perspective on the debate, in which he certainly doesn't hide his biases - but as a scientist, why should he? He nevertheless does a commendable job of bridging the gap between non-Fundamentalist religions and evolutionary ideas.
With all that's been written about Darwin and his ideas, one might wonder what the point of yet another biography could be. Yet as someone with interests in both evolution and Darwin himself, I can attest that for anyone, from the Darwin enthusiast to someone with an interest in evolutionary thought, Eldridge's book promises to provide a fascinating and perceptive new look at the life and legacy of Charles Darwin.

A Fine Introduction to Darwin and his Impact.......2007-01-19

I found this book to be both highly informative as well as beautifully produced. The author, a distingished paleontologist currently at New York's American Museum of Natural History, who was curator on the smashing exhibit last year commemorating Darwin at the museum which I had the privilege of seeing, accomplishes a number of objectives in this volume. First, he focuses upon Darwin's own history, methods and theories. Next, he does an examination of Darwin's famous Red and Transmutation notebooks, including interesting photographs of some of the pages. The reader soon comes to understand why the author feels that much of Darwin's evolutionary theory was anticipated in these journals long before he published "On the Origin of Species." This discussion is succeeded by one on Darwin's own early manuscripts (i.e., "The 1842 Sketch" and "the Essay of of 1844"), which integrates well with his analysis of the notebooks. The author also does a concise review of the "Origin" itself. One of the most interesting chapters is on "Evolution After Darwin," including the period when discussion of Darwin almost disappeared from the scene. The final chapter discusses Darwin, religion and the current "intelligent design" debate.

The author strikes a remarkable balance between a level of discussion aimed at the general reader while injecting some substantial scientific information as well. His recounting of some of the most recent leading evolutionary research is particularly informative. The book's illustrations are exceedingly helpful in illuminating the author's analysis--many are beautiful color photographs of the first quality. The book is printed on the finest glossy paper as well, resulting in a beautiful production. So, while written for a general audience, there is a good dose of scientific information as well. And the writing is always clear and concise (the entire book including illustrations and bibiography runs around 245 pages). A solid addition to the literature on Darwin and evoluton.

Setting the date.......2006-03-21

In some places, challenging Darwin is a cottage industry. In the US, it's almost a multi-national in size and scope. Challenges have run from his upper middle-class origins and existence to whether he was the first to define how evolution works. It's the last point that Niles Eldredge counters here with some vigour. In this life of the man whose novel concept of life should have overturned the concept of who we are, Eldredge is forced once again to mount the barricades in Darwin's defence. Much of the theme of this book is "when" Darwin came to the idea that transmutation of species was the key to life. Although most scholars hold that Darwin concluded species change sometime in the mid-1840s, Eldredge pushes the idea further back, even possibly during the Beagle voyage of the 1830s.

As a publication associated with a new touring exhibit from the American Natural History Museum in New York, Eldredge deftly keeps his text associated with the artefacts on view. As the curator of the exhibit, he's in a prime position to give the material a good portrayal. A dedicated Darwinist, Eldredge is intimately involved in what the naturalist thought, why he thought it and, so far as possible when he came up with his ideas. Eldredge has thoroughly investigated Darwin's notebooks in preparing this book. It was clearly a labour of love. Besides his research skills, Eldredge is an expressive and convincing writer. He has a point to make, and presents it with skill and verve. Even the unitiated is unlikely to feel bogged down by arcane information. The author's fluent language is a joy to read.

Darwin's career is essentially outlined here. The element of chance is strangely muted. It was almost a fluke that led Darwin to walk up the gangplank to board the Beagle. It was a chance occurence that he was in Chile during an earthquake that raised sealife above the ocean. A chance remark about tortoises slipped by him almost unnoticed. What would have happened if Albert Russel Wallace had sent his own groundbreaking paper to somebody else, such as Henslow? All those near-misses were overcome, as Eldredge forcefully notes, by Darwin's dedicated pursuit of what he did learn. It's easy to dismiss Darwin as a plodder, but this account shows that every step was carefully sighted and reviewed for what it might contribute. In no small measure, Darwin provided a significant leap forward, not only for our understanding of life, but in the pursuit of scientific excellence. He may not have had all the answers, but those he put forward were firmly buttressed. Given that Darwin was an observer and not a laboratory researcher, his accomplishments become yet more noteworthy.

This being a "modern" author, and a scientist who has striven for a generation to overturn a fundamental aspect of Darwin's original concept, this book necessarily preaches the notion of abrupt speciation. Darwin's use of geologist Charles Lyell's "uniformitarian" means of change has been challenged by Eldredge [and his mate Stephen Gould] with "punk eek", the idea that evolution works in a jerky fashion. Not unexpectedly, Eldredge gives this idea a good deal of ink. He attempts to ameliorate this heresy with a muted discussion of scale - the measurement of rate of change - but it's skimpy and inconclusive. The author might have done better to skim the topic and presented more on Darwin's other work. Eldredge's pushing the date of Darwin's becoming convinced of the idea of evolution in the first place is accomplishment enough for both. The final chapter throws down the gauntlet to the hordes of Christians obstructing the dissemination of Darwin's concept in education and society.

As an accompaniment to a museum exhibit, this book is richly illustrated. A multitude of contemporary illustrations, sketches, cartoons and photographs all provide visually pleasing enhancements to the text. There are even photographs of undecipherable pages from the Notebooks. In all, Eldredge has provided an fine introductory survey of who Darwin was and what he accomplished. It's to be hoped that the combination of the exhibit and this volume will retain the status Darwin deserves. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Discovering England's trees (Discovering)

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Discovering England's trees (Discovering)
Miles Hadfield
Manufacturer: Shire Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Book Description

Make tracks across the spectacular range of New Zealand landscapes. The deep valleys of Fiordland and Mt Aspiring beckon, the Marlborough Sounds call, the volcanoes of Tongariro are steaming ... explore on foot the natural wonders of this country from coast to Cook. foreword by New Zealand adventurer Peter Hillary 53 detailed trail descriptions for trampers of all levels colour section on the Great Walks of New Zealand two-colour contour maps for all featured tramps essential accommodation and transport information expert advice on equipment, health and environ- mentally responsible walking

Customer Reviews:

Great book with all the basic info you need.......2007-05-12

The book had all the basic info. you need for hiking in New Zealand. It's easy to read with a couple of nice pictures. Enjoy!

Great reference guide.......2007-01-10

By far the best guide available about tramping opportunities in NZ. The track guides are pretty accurate and provide a good overview of what to expect.

A book for the planning Tramper.......2000-04-09

This edition is far better than the previous editions. It's new organization and additional information sections are a marked improvement. A new section on Flora and Fauna gives a highlight of any New Zealand tramp. This book acts as an excellent reference book while tramping. Of course, if the book contained every piece of required information, (i.e. highly detailed maps and every step of the way instructions) it would require 1000's of pages. The authors surmount that difficulty by including instructions on how to obtain additional necessary information. The book is perfect for those that are looking into or planning a backpacking trek to New Zealand.

Easy tramping in New Zealand.......2000-04-04

This is a great book for planning a tramping trip to New Zealand, although it's a bit too much to carry while actually hiking. The book contains good references and maps to the most popular tracks, and some of the lesser known tracks. If your tight on cash, I recommend going to the visitor centers in New Zealand and picking up the DOC pamphlets they supply. D.O.C. has detailed pamphlets on pretty much every track in New Zealand and they only charge about 50 cents (US) for each one. But if you want to plan a trip from home, this is the book to get, it's far easier to understand than the other New Zealand tramping books, and gives good information on what you need to bring. It also gives good info on the New Zealand back country hut system. Buy a hut pass, they're only 35 bucks (US) for a year. It even supplies some decent fly fishing tips for the rivers that border some of the tracks. But be warned that almost every other tourist hiker in New Zealand also has this book, so if you really want to get away from people, you'll have to do some bushwacking.

Average customer rating:

Go Walkabout

Lonely Planet Walking in Australia
Andrew Bain , Lindsay Brown , Ian Connellan , John Daly , Lyn Daly , Grant Dixon , and Glenn van der Knijff
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Walking | Hiking & Camping | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1740593103

Book Description

Stunning rocky headlands and perfect beaches, lush rainforests, sun-sharpened deserts and the muted beauty of the bush - taking to the trail in Australia offers a kaleidscope of colours, terrains and adventures for walkers of all levels. foreword by Australian adventurer Jon Muir experienced authors detail 60 of the best walks around the country two-colour contour maps for all featured walks essential accommodation and transport information colour section on Australian walking environments expert advice on equipment, health and environmentally responsible walking.

Customer Reviews:

Go Walkabout.......2001-04-03

I had a chance to look through this book recently at a friends house, and I was pretty impressed. It contains a bunch of useful maps, which from my experience are more than adequate to help you get where your going, or find a place to go if you don't know where you want to be. It also has page upon page of great information on all things walking in Australia. Well worth the price.

Lonely Planet Bushwalking in Papua New Guinea

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Lonely Planet Bushwalking in Papua New Guinea
Yvon Perusse
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Walking | Hiking & Camping | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Papua New Guinea | Australia & South Pacific | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Australia & South Pacific | Travel | Subjects | Books

Essays & Travelogues | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0864420528

Amazon.com

Papua New Guinea is one of those destinations so far off the beaten path that good guidebooks for the region are few and far between. Trust Lonely Planet, however, to rectify that situation. In Bushwalking in Papua New Guinea, author Yvon Pérusse introduces you to this remote and rugged land. Because roads are a rarity in Papua New Guinea, walking is often the only way to get from one place to another; it's also a great way to really see the country, meet the people, and open yourself to myriad experiences often missed by those in cars.

There are 10 main walks detailed in Bushwalking in Papua New Guinea, plus many other suggested walks and some variations on the primary ones. They vary in length, difficulty, landscape, and culture, ranging from a fairly easy three-day stroll along the coast of Milne Bay to a strenuous six-day trek through the Owen Stanley mountain range. Maps, notes, and practical information are included in each chapter, and color photographs throughout the book provide plenty of inspiration to follow in Pérusse's footsteps.

Book Description

39 Maps

Bushwalking in Australia (Lonely Planet Walking Guides)

Average customer rating:

The Best Way to See Australia

Bushwalking in Australia (Lonely Planet Walking Guides)
John Chapman , and Monica Chapman
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Book Description

55 Maps

Customer Reviews:

The Best Way to See Australia.......2000-05-30

Although the hikes in this book were numerous, I did quite a few and all were breathtaking. Bushwalking in Australia is an excellent guide to hiking all over the continent and seeing every type of terrain that this diverse place has to offer. This book made my time is Australia so much more valuable and was worth every penny. It even has instructions on how to take trains and buses to trailheads. One of the best hiking books I have ever used.

Lonely Planet Bushwalking in Papua New Guinea (Lonely Planet Walking Guides)

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Lonely Planet Bushwalking in Papua New Guinea (Lonely Planet Walking Guides)
Riall W. Nolan
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Papua New Guinea | Australia & South Pacific | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Australia & South Pacific | Travel | Subjects | Books

Lonely Planet | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Travel Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Four Corners: A Journey into the Heart of Papua New Guinea

ASIN: 0908086415

Tramping in New Zealand (Lonely Planet Walking Guides)

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Tramping in New Zealand (Lonely Planet Walking Guides)
Jim DuFresne
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Walking | Hiking & Camping | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

New Zealand | Australia & South Pacific | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Australia & South Pacific | Travel | Subjects | Books

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0864420765

Book Description

Find out why combat dress developed from colored uniforms to camouflage gear in high-tech fabrics, and how the ultra-modern stealth bomber evolved from the fragile-looking biplane.

Book Description

More than 500 excellent color photos and easy-to-follow keys will help you identify nearly 700 wildflower and fern species found in Kentucky and surrounding states (including Southern Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio, Western West Virginia and Virginia, Northern Tennessee, and Eastern Missouri).

Customer Reviews:

A fine book for making the most of your hikes.............2001-08-11

My wife Brenda and I have used this book numerous times at our place in Kentucky and during our hikes in the Smokies. Even though the title specifies Kentucky we found the book very useful in Tennessee during our romps in the Great Smokey Mountains. A Notable feature that is very handy is the "roomy look" of the layout. There is copious amount of white space on every page. We used that to make notes and scribbles. Now when I turn to any page I recall the spring or fall at Clingman's Dome, Cumberland Gap or a dozen other places.

Some of the pictures are not quite as good. For example, on page 157, the snapshot of Prostrate Eryngo (E. yuccifolium) is misleading. In spite of minor quibbles this is a book well worth having. I must warn you that because of the glossy pages the book does weigh between two and three pounds which is significant when one is scrambling up an incline.

A real memory-maker!

Excellent field guide for Ohioians too!.......1999-05-22

This is an excellent guide to wildflowers and ferns for those of us on the Ohio side of the river. It is my most used field guide. Roger W. Barbour is definitely a talent as I have found his book "Amphibians & Reptiles of Kentucky" one of the best for identifying local snakes. This book is worth adding to your personal library.

excellent beginner's book.......1999-03-27

Not only is this book an excellent source for identifying Kentucky wildflowers, it is an excellent source for identifying wildflowers, ferns, etc., for the Central Basin and Smoky Mountains in Tennessee as well.

Good guide to KY Wildflowers and Ferns.......1998-09-27

This is a very good book showing many of the native wildflowers in the state of Kentucky. The pictures are very good and the plant information and descriptions are excellent. There are a few photos that are not ideal for identifying some species and the book arrangement is somewhat clumsy if this book is used as a field guide. It would have been better if the flowers were arranged by color. Other than that, this is a great book and a popular pick of my students when they have to identify native species for a wildflower collection.

Book Description

The internationally acclaimed children’s book writer, on herself and on the art of writing and publishing children’s books.

Customer Reviews:

Good account of Mem's life..........2005-12-29

I enjoyed this quick read. Mem is such a clear and concise writer. It provides a entertaining overview of Mem's life experiences. Contrary to the other review on Amazon this book BARELY covers the process of getting a children's book published. I would estimate that 5 pages MAX of the over 200 pages is devoted to this so don't buy this book for this reason. Otherwise a worthwhile read if you wanted to know more about what goes on behind the scenes of writing a children's book.

Trememdous insight into writing children's books.......1999-11-21

Having never read a Mem Fox book, it was the title of this book that caught my eye. For anyone who has fancied writing children's books, this is a must-read. It covers the writing and editing processes and provides insight into obtaining publishers and illustrators. Great book, as are all of Ms. Fox's books.

Dear Mem Fox, I Have Read All Your Books Even the Pathetic Ones: And Other Incidents in the Life of a Children's Book Author

Average customer rating:

Dear Mem Fox, I Have Read All Your Books Even the Pathetic Ones: And Other Incidents in the Life of a Children's Book Author
Mem Fox
Manufacturer: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NSKEVY

Average customer rating:

Dear Mem Fox, I Have Read All Your Books Even the Pathetic Ones: And Other Incidents in the Life of a Children's Book Author
Mem Fox
Manufacturer: Harvest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJOTK4

Book Description

This is a powerful blend of personal testimony and social history about life as the spouse of Britain’s Prime Ministers, from the 1950s to 1997, co-written by Cherie Booth, the wife of Tony Blair.

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