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The Autobiography of Charles Darwin: 1809-1882

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Don't be put off by the rather grim portrait of Darwin that adorns this edition -and be aware that there are SEVERAL editions of the AUTOBIOGRAPHY, including a somewhat "censored" one in which Darwin's wife took out bits that she didn't like -perhaps the most interesting editions are the ones that put these bits back in but italicize or bold them so that you can get a sense of what wasn't "proper" in Emma's mind. This is by no means a definitive Life of Darwin (for that I strongly encourage you to read Janet Brown's excellent 2 part series)but it does give us a gentle portrait of Darwin as he saw himself in late middle age, and it has provided lots of grist for the historians & psychohistorians in their speculations about what Darwin felt about religion, his parents, etc. For my part it only reinforces my impression of a truly wonderful man who was constantly puzzled in a pleasant way with the diversity of life & living, and while he may have had personal demons to grapple with (don't we all?) he was still able to enjoy both his science and his friends and his family. It is primarily this enjoyment that I walk away with after reading this book. Oh yes, the grim portrait on the cover. I doubt that Darwin thought of himself like that, he was FUN, and I think he mostly HAD fun, apart from the periodic bouts with illness. My favorite "portrait" of Darwin is the fantasy picture of young Chas "hanging out" in high top sneakers that adorns Phil Darlington's too-long-out-of-print EVOLUTION FOR NATURALISTS.

I enjoyed reading the autobiography. It is written in a simple and straightforward manner; the human side of the author emerges from the text clearly. Darwin was a simple man and an eminent scientist; there was nothing complex about him. He loved what he did for science and naturally wanted to be recognised for his contributions. Evolution was in the air in his time but probably not the way he presented it. He was responsible for formulating the concept of 'natural selection' which makes a whole deal of difference in the theory of evolution. As a scientist, he felt vulnerable perhaps like Newton who did not like to get embroiled in controversies and disputes with Robert Hooke and others. Newton refrained from publishing his work for a long period of time in order to avoid scientific disputes which however muddled the priority claim, later on, with Leibniz for the development of 'calculs'. Darwin hated to deal directly with similar situations such as the argument with Butler. Darwin depended on the advice of his family and friends for handling the argument with Butler. Curiously, however, a dispute on priority of developing the concept of natural selection that could have arisen with Wallace did not happen and both of them (Darwin and Wallace) stayed friends through out their lives. According to Reveal et al: "The story of interrelationship between the two men over their professional careers is one of gentlemanly: Darwin, the Country squire, living off inherited wealth and sound investments on a small estate working leisurely in the pursuit of evolution, and Wallace, the committed socialist, saved ultimately from abject poverty by Darwin and his friends who arranged a Crown pension, laboring seemingly forever in other's shadow".

REFERENCE "The Darwin - Wallace 1858 Evolution Paper", Introduction, prepared by James L. Reveal, Paul J. Bottino, and Charles F. Delviche, Mohammad A. Gill

A small book which covers a range of issues unknown to those who only got a glimpse of the man Charles Darwin trough his Origin of Species book. The background for the Origin of Species is all there : the influences he got from many people on his frame of mind and on his very particular way of thinking and of experimenting with things, the convivial relationship he had with some of the greatest men of his time, Herbert Spencer included, the love of hunting he later hesitatingly abandoned, the love his sisters devoted to him and the difficult relationship he had with his authoritarian (and rich) father, rich to a point that Charles knew that he never would have to fight for his own survital,etc...
It is interesting to know, for instance, that the first answer he got from his father Robert when Charles asked for his permission to the famous Beagle voyage was a resounding NO. And amazing as it seems, Charles in no way was against his father decision. Were not for the help of his beloved uncle, brother of his father, who was very much in favor of the trip and convinced Charles'father to revert his earlier decision, the world would wait some more time for his revolutionary theory of the evolution of the species trough Natural selection of the fittest.

A very interesting book, which has value added to it by the many letters included as appendices that treat on many interesting issues of Charles' life: the so-called Butler controversy, the letters refering to the first refusal of Charles Darwins father to his Beagle voyage and many others. I am sure you will not be disappointed.

The man had a sense of humour and did not, apparently, take himself as deadly serious as some of his modern proselytes do.
By which I do not want to imply any basic anti-Darwinism on my part, but a certain allergy to dogmatic hair splitting, noticed when reading some current discussions of Mr.Darwin's legacy.
The best parts of the book, for me, are those where he light-handedly defines his relation to predecessors, influencers, peers and successors, like e.g. his grandfather Erasmus Darwin (and his version of evolution), or Thomas Malthus (on populations and selection pressure), like Alfred Wallace, who co-fathered the theory of evolution by natural selection (and whose Malay Archipelago is my favorite travel book of all times), or like Herbert Spencer (the man about 'social Darwinism'), with whom CD disagrees completely.
I also like CD's thoughts on religion. One moment he defines himself as a definite atheist (regarding a personal interfering god), which surprised me, I did not think he was so clear about that. But then, next page, he backtracks and calls himself a theist in some other way of looking at things (the preceding intelligence). Then somehow he concludes that he is an agnostic. Sound attitude.
He does not really spend awfully much time and effort on this memoir, and that determines the easygoing character of this highly readable book. A must for all who are interested in 'the meaning of life'.
This edition by N.Barlow adds back some texts which had been purged by the family for this or that reason. That is a good thing. Unfortunately she also adds the whole dreary controversy called the Darwin-Butler disagreement, which is wholly superfluous.

A great book both for its autobiographical voice (Darwin is surprisingly funny, especially when he describes his young life) and for the lovely extras Barlow, a descendent, has added. My personal favorite part, and one of the funniest, is the letter written by Darwin's uncle in his behalf to convince Darwin's father that letting him go on the Beagle won't be a waste. As we see the many difficulties of a guy who was, in his youth, a slacker, a major-jumper (so to speak) and a spendthrift, we wonder if maybe we aren't making to stiff a criterion for the
It's fun to think about to what degree Darwin's greatness (or influence) would have been predicted, whether he was just a product of the time, and how a man can spend his life describing and defending a boat trip he took in his 20s.

Even if this book weren't entertainingly written it would be an absolutely necessary read for anyone who wanted to understand Darwin the man. It IS entertaining, though, and you see a delightful sense of humor peaking through on the page. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Read it almost at one sitting.

Charles Gramlich
Author of "Cold in the Light."

Reading the memoir that Darwin wrote for his family, two qualities of the man stand out above all others. The first is his intense humanity--indeed, his lovability. He is modestly self-deprecating in a totally uncalculating way; his devotion to his father, wife, and children shines through, as does his compassion for suffering animals; and his reminiscences of childhood, youth, and young adulthood are quaintly idiosyncratic (he doesn't remember and record "big" events so much as funny or curious little ones that lodged in his memory). He comes across as an incredibly decent guy.

Second, he is a scrupulously honest thinker. He abandons his early Christianity (although he admits that he was never very fervent) because his understanding of natural selection rules out the possibility of a Paleyesque divine design in nature, and he rejects the idea of eternal damnation because it seems to him hideously unjust. (The bulk of his religious reflections are found in pp. 85-96.) He is devoted to the empirical method, carefully collecting and collating years and years worth of data before drawing conclusions from them. He especially notes, he tells us, data that seem to run contrary to his hypotheses, because he knows how easy it is to "forget" such inconvenient facts. And he takes great delight in his scientific work. Curious that Darwin laments on at least two occasions that he's lost his youthful taste for poetry, art, and music. His love of the natural world surely is as artistic as scientific.

I highly recommend this autobiography to all persons interested in the on-going fracas over evolution. It goes a long way to revealing the real man too often demonized by polemicists.

Darwin wrote his autobiography between the ages of 67 and 73. In the publisher's introduction it is noted that Charles Darwin tells of the slow maturing of his mind. A family tree is provided. Charles Darwin was the grandson of Erasmus Darwin and the son of Robert and Emma, nee Wedgwood. His mother died when he was eight. In boyhood he had a passion for collecting.

Charles Darwin went to Dr. Butler's school in Shrewsbury until age sixteen. As a young boy he enjoyed solitary walks. Dr. Butler's school was strictly classical. He found the odes of Horace to his liking. He reports his father had excellent powers of observation. The father was a physician who hated the sight of blood but was able to divine the character of others. He possessed an extraordinary memory for dates and other facts. Charles Darwin was taught Euclid by a private tutor. Clear geometric proofs gave him intense satisfaction. As a boy Darwin enjoyed literature, Shakespeare included. Later in life he lost his pleasure in poetry. He was the cousin of Francis Galton. He once wondered why every gentleman did not become an ornithologist. He assisted his brother in chemical experiments.

Charles was sent to Edinburgh University with his brother. In his second year he met several young men fond of natural science. He attended meetings of the Plinian Society. He also went to meetings of the Wernerian Society. At Edinburgh he saw Audubon and Walter Scott. He liked shooting but was half-ashamed of his zeal.

After two years at Edinburgh in medical studies it was decided Charles should be a clergyman. He spent three years at Cambridge. He studied Euclid and Paley's NATURAL THEOLOGY among other things. He should have attended but did not the lectures of Sedgwick on geology. He did attend Henslow's lectures on Botany. He acquired a strong taste for music. He was introduced to entomology by his second cousin, W. Darwin Fox.

At Cambridge Darwin took long walks with Professor Henslow. After 1831 Darwin began to study biology. The existence of a volute shell from the tropics at a site in the English midlands made Darwin realize completely that science is the grouping of facts so that general conclusions or laws can be found. After a short geological tour in Wales he learned tht he could volunteer as a naturalist for the Beagle expedition. It lasted for five years. His participation was permitted by his father when his uncle gave his considered opinion that it was an opportunity in which Charles should be engaged. On the voyage his habit of energetic industry and concentrated attention was crucial to his development as a scientist.

His love of science gradually preponderated over other tastes. He worked on the ORIGIN OF SPECIES for twenty years. He felt enormously indebted to Charles Lyell. He lived with his family in the country and felt compelled to give up dinner parties because they were too exciting. He knew a wide range of people including Thomas Huxley, Charles Babbage, and Herbert Spencer. In October 1838 he read Malthus's POPULATION. The struggle for existence provided a basis for his theory.

In 1857 he received Wallace's essay and spent the following thirteen months preparing the ORIGIN OF SPECIES. Two condensed sketches were written prior to the longer work. THE DESCENT OF MAN took three years to write. Darwin says that his mind became a sort of machine for grinding out general laws.

Very often, the name Charles Darwin conjures up images of a mythical figure responsible for the development of one of the most influential scientific theories. How often, however, do we think about the scientist's human side? The Autobiography of Charles Darwin is a fun read that lets you take a peak into his life and demystify the man behind the name. The human side emerges from anecdotes, whether from his childhood or young adulthood or after. Expectedly, Darwin confesses of a keen interest in beetles and collecting and describes the lengths to which he would go to study the insect (even putting a beetle in his mouth). However, who would have imagined that his friends would tease him for his careful bird record keeping and his lack of an ear for music? Who would have guessed that certain papers he published were a source of embarrassment? The autobiography reveals other, unexpected sides of Darwin. But as you read this book, do not expect to be exposed to Darwin's deepest thoughts and reflections. The tidbits of stories present in the autobiography definitely leave you wanting to know more.

Additionally, reading the autobiography serves as a source of inspiration. Darwin's lack of success in other aspects of life, such as with his attempts to be a doctor and a clergyman, contrasted with his great scientific success. With his matter of fact tone, Darwin admits that he did not do well in many academic subjects. However, he made up for the difference with long hours of work and perseverance. While we will never know if Darwin's intended for his autobiography to be inspirational, we can derive the personal take-home message of persevering and pursuing what truly interests you.

I highly recommend reading this autobiography as it gives you a glimpse into the human side of a great thinker.

"The Autobiography of Charles Darwin" provides an interesting insight into the life and mind of the renowned biologist, Charles Darwin. Though I think it is commonly held in too high regard as the final authority on the life of Darwin, I still believe it is an interesting and important text when read through the correct lens. I found it a meaningful source when considering it as a text about how Darwin wanted to be remembered. Whether or not Darwin actually can precisely recall intricate details from his childhood like praying to God to help him run faster is not as important as what that means about why the man who was writing the story felt this was an important detail to aid. Through this lens I feel you can learn a lot from this book about who Charles Darwin, the man, was and not just think about him in terms of his theories and his impact on society.

I found the restored version very interesting and would have been disappointed to read an older edition, which did not include some passages related to his private life as well as others on his religious views. Read it in the form that Charles intended you to!