Customer Reviews

On the Origin of Species: The Illustrated Edition

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This edition of "On the Origin of Species" is invaluable to anyone who has been suffering without Darwin's most important work, or getting by with only a stripped-down version. The text is the first edition of the six editions Darwin oversaw in his lifetime. It's the version scientists now regard as the most powerful and passionate statement of Darwin's views. But besides the full (unabridged) "Origin," this large-format book is replete with other materials. The word "sumptuous" comes to mind. There are hundreds of amazing illustrations, maps and diagrams, many in full color. Also included are scores of substantial excerpts from other works by Darwin and correspondence between him and his contemporaries. This makes the book a treasure to have, because it is so incredibly rich in contextual materials.

For instance, pictures of T.H. Huxley are included along with Huxley's letter to Darwin, where Huxley asserted his (not altogether unconditional) support for Darwin's argument and added that he was sharpening his claws and beak in readiness - that is, to help defend Darwin from his opponents. I was also delighted with the many beautiful photographs taken in the Galapagos Islands and of life forms found there, to say nothing of the pictures of Darwin, his family, colleagues and adversaries that are interspersed throughout the book, and Darwin's own drawings, the pictures of Darwin's home near Downe, his desk, models and a detailed diagram of the H.M.S. Beagle, and so on. There is also a chronology of Darwin's life to 1864. Reading this, you are getting far more than one book: the many excerpts from Darwin's earlier and later writings, and all the illustrations and other materials, provide considerable historical context for the "Origin," its development and reception, making this almost certainly the definitive edition.

If you have never read Darwin's masterpiece, this book is a first-class reason to do so. His prose is elegant - even, at times, eloquent. The argument unfolds logically and clearly. Darwin was an utterly unpretentious English gentleman, after all, who lived during the Victorian era; he was, and remains, a highly agreeable companion. (If you enjoy travel literature, Darwin's earlier "Voyage of the Beagle" is also highly readable and fascinating. It sold well in his lifetime and reads almost like an adventure story. Many excerpts from "Voyage" appear in the book under review. They may tempt you to read the other book.) "On the Origin of Species" was written to be read by anyone - it is not merely for scientists or experts. Small wonder that the first edition sold out the same day it was released.

One of the most striking things about the "Origin" is how careful, even cautious, Darwin is in drawing inferences from the piles of data he had before him. (In fact, he devoted an entire chapter to describing potential objections to his own arguments. That takes candor to a very high level. Yet creationists often just read that chapter in order to find objections to evolution, as if Darwin had not already thought the matter through, and as if modern science had not already resolved those objections, since Darwin so thoughtfully and disarmingly enumerated them.) Darwin's argument thus has more force than it would if he made claims that the data did not so clearly support. Darwin's great virtue as a scientist is that he did not let his own beliefs prejudice his investigations: he let the evidence speak plainly for itself. He was humble, painstaking and forthright.

Since I originally prepared this review, another superb edition of "On the Origin of Species" has been published by Harvard's Belknap Press, which provides excellent and substantial annotations to a facsimile of the original 1859 text, on the same pages as the text itself. That is a handsome volume which is immensely helpful because the annotations (prepared by James T. Costa, a biologist himself) explain so much. Darwin's writing is precise and clear but lay readers often have questions - or would, if we knew what to ask - that are answered in the annotations. Professor Costa updates much of what is being said in the text with current scientific knowledge, explains why Darwin is saying what he is saying, and generally offers valuable insights. The result is to make Darwin's book even more accessible to the general reader. Regrettably, that volume does not have all the rich contextual materials, illustrations and selections from other works that distinguish the edition under review here. Still, if your objective is to read Darwin's seminal work and comprehend it, Costa's is doubtless as good a book as there is. Thus, while it would be ideal if both of these books could be combined, we should be vastly grateful that two such outstanding editions of this important work became available at reasonable cost during the 200th anniversary of Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of "On the Origin of Species." You can take your pick, or if you really love Darwin and science, get both (as I did).

While I recommend reading "on the Origin of Species" in any edition, this is a lavish and eminently worthwhile volume, which I have added to the several editions I already own.

I will always be grateful that my parents gave me Darwin's books at the age of 9. I still treasure the works decades later. I can only imagine how much greater the impact on a young mind to have such a richly illustrated version.

We owe it to the younger generations to awaken an appreciation of the wonders of the natural world. The genius of Darwin, and the importance of his work, are too often underestimated. This volume is ideal for the whole family, particularly the children. It can not fail to inspire the reader to a greater understanding of the inter-relatedness of life on this planet, and hopefully create a desire to care a little more for our fellow creatures.

The concepts are easy to understand, and clearly explained in Darwin's own words. Indeed, his clear prose and careful reasoning make the book an excellent example for budding scientists of how science writing should be done. The illustrations and extra information really bring the man and his insights to life.

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"When on board...[Her Majesty's Ship] 'Beagle,' as naturalist, I was struck with certain facts in the distribution of the inhabitants [that is, plants and animals] of South America, and the geologic relations of the present to past inhabitants of that continent. These facts seemed to me to throw some light on the origin of species--that mystery of mysteries, as it has been called by one of our greatest philosophers."

The above are the first two sentences that begin what many describe as a seminal work in scientific literature and a landmark work in evolutionary biology. This book (whose full title is "On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or, the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life") was written by Charles Darwin (1809 to 1882) and this first edition was published in November 1859. This illustrated edition was edited by David Quammen, an author and recognized writer.

But you'll find more (much more!!) between the covers of this illustated edition than just the original text of Darwin's great book. In it are written excerpts from the following books:

(1) "The Voyage of the Beagle"
(2) "The Life and Letters of Charles Darwin"
(3) "The Autobiography of Charles Darwin"

From these major sources and other sources are included, as well, images of some of the places Darwin visited, some of the creatures he saw, and the ship itself. Also included is a gallery of reproductions of photographs, oil portraits, oil woodcuts, sketches, cartoons, coloured lithographs from the book "The Zoology of the Voyage of the H.M.S. Beagle," etc. (Thus, when they say this is "The Illustrated Edition," they're not kidding!!)

There is also a chronology that tracks Darwin's life as well as images or pictures related to him as a man and to concepts of his great work. Those major persons for and against Darwin's ideas are also shown.

Editor Quammen describes the "On the Origin of Species" text (which I'll refer as the 1859 TEXT):

"[It] wasn't written for experts. It was written for everybody who reads, thinks, and wonders. The prose is sometimes laborious and often elegant; the details are fascinating, the logic is lucid and firm; and the voice...is the voice of an affable English gentleman."

This book can be read in one of two ways:

(1) You can read the book from start to finish. As you come to the written excerpts, sketches, photos, etc., you can divert your attention from reading the 1859 TEXT, read or look over these, and then continue reading the 1859 TEXT.

(2) You can read and look over all the written excerpts, sketches, photos, etc. first. Then go back to the beginning and read the 1859 TEXT.

Personally, I chose method (2). I found that when I did this that I learned much about Charles Darwin, the man and scientist. I found that after I had learned something about Darwin himself, that my interest in his 1859 TEXT was piqued and I wanted to read it since, for some reason, it didn't seem so intimidating.

When reading the 1859 TEXT, you may find the prose difficult to read at first. I found that as I kept reading, I got used to the prose style, and the reading actually got easier. Also, it seems to me that Darwin has bent over backwards to make his 1859 TEXT easy to understand because he provides brief summaries at the beginning of each chapter and the last chapter is actually a summary.

Here are the chapter titles for the 1859 TEXT (which are the same for this illustrated book):

(1) Variation under domestication
(2) Variation under nature
(3) Struggle for existence
(4) Natural selection
(5) Laws of variation
(6) Difficulties [with my] theory
(7) Instinct
(8) Hybridism
(9) On the imperfection of the geological record
(10) On the geological succession of organic beings
(11) Geographical distribution
(12) Geological distribution [continued]
(13) Mutual affinities of organic beings: morphology: embryology: rudimentary organs
(14) Recapitulation and conclusion

There is a fascinating appendix to this illustrated edition entitled "An historical sketch of the progress of opinion on 'On The Origin of Species.'" This appendix was added as a foreword to the third edition of "On the Origin of Species," published in 1861. (Note that "On the Origin of Species" had six editions that were published during Darwin's lifetime.)

Finally, after the appendix, there is a helpful glossary to aid in ever greater comprehension of the 1859 TEXT. (Note that Darwin did not include a glossary in his original 1859 publication.)

In conclusion, with all the extras included to compliment Charles Darwin's masterpiece of observation and deduction, this book is truly a pleasure to read. I leave you with Darwin's final words:

"There is grandeur in this view of life [that is, grandeur in the laws of nature], with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms [of life] or into one [form of life]; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved."

(illustrated edition first published 2008; introduction (to this book by David Quammen); introduction (to "On the Origin of Species" by Charles Darwin); 14 chapters; main narrative 515 pages; appendix; glossary; picture credits; index)

<<Stephen Pletko, London, Ontario, Canada>>

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This being the bicentenary of Darwin's birth - and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his masterwork - many folks seem to have the goal of reading Origin for the first time. Generally speaking the first edition of 1859 (or the second of 1860) is taken as the best edition to begin with - in later editions Darwin muddies his ideas in response to critics and it becomes increasingly difficult to clearly delineate what "Darwinism" entails.

David Quammen has produced a very nice edition of Origin that relies on the first edition for its text but supplements it with extracts from The Voyage of the Beagle and Darwin's Autobiography while simultaneous profusely illustrating it with period illustrations, Darwinalia, and modern photos of species that Darwin refers to. All-in-all this is an excellent way for the Darwin neophyte to experience Origin and get some nice background into Darwin's life and time. Highly recommended!

I avoided reading this quintessential book for years because I incorrectly assumed it would be as exciting as a graduate student dissertation. So when I found this version with illustrations I (typical American male), thought "OH! Pictures! I can handle this!". And I could. I have read several books about evolution, from a scientific perspective, from a philosophical perspective, even one book that attempted--and failed--to disprove it. But I had never read THE book about how we came to be the way we are, and it was time. This book, while not exactly a barnburner, is not a difficult read at all, and with the addition of the helpful and often fascinating photographs and illustrations, it was a great and enjoyable read. The only caveat I will issue here is that this is not a book you can toss into your suitcase and take with you on a trip. It is big and bulky (and beautiful, but big and bulky nonetheless). This is a book you will want to keep at home, on your nightstand, to read.

Oh...and if you are a religionist/creationist, do NOT buy this book. If you do, God will throw you into the abyss of Hell where you will suffer and burn and choke and scream and be tortured every second from now through eternity. Because he loves you. (This last bit stolen, with gratitude, from George Carlin).

This book is absolutely beautiful. Even if you disregard the actual text itself - which one would be a fool to do - the quality of this book is awesome. Strong binding, pleasant typeface, two-column layout, plenty of margin space, text-book quality pages, and of course the abundance of images. This is a book worth keeping on your shelf. The only caveat is that it is large and heavy, making it not very versatile in where and how you read it. If you like to read curled up on a couch holding the book in the air in front of you, this edition is probably not for you.

I've now gone through six of the new editions of Origin of Species that have been released in honor of the 150th anniversary of publication. My recommendations,

1) Harvard "The Annotated Origin", with annotations by James Costa.
This is *the* one to get for the Darwin scholar, and for working biologists. A facsimile of the first edition is printed on facing pages across the center divide, with marginal notes by James Costa keyed on the outside margins. So, you can read the original text without distraction if you wish, and refer to the notes as necessary. The notes are largely historical, and go a long way towards making critical changes in Morse Peckham's variorum edition accessible. As a check, I really enjoyed the annotations to Chapter 4, where CD recaps the argument for and introduces the term Natural Selection. Costa's notes show CD backing away from his forthright statement in the 3rd edition, and the unfortunate introduction of 'survival of the fittest' in the 6th.

I'm compelled to added that this edition reminds me very much of the Harper Collins Study Bible of the New Revised Standard Version, an excellent fully-annotated edition largely free from doctrinal bias. [In YHWH's 2nd edition of the Descent of Man, 'humankind' (adam) is formed from the 'ground' (adamah), and not in the image of YHWH. So there.] However, the notes in HCSB take up the bottom half of the page and the eye must skip up and down, which is a distraction from the left-to-right flow of the text. As so often in the past, Bible scholars could learn a thing or two from Darwin scholars.

2) Harvard facsimile of the first edition.
This is the same facsimile text as above, without the the marginal notations, and in paperback (Harvard publishes both). The price is half that of the annotated version, and it can be recommend for those who want the direct exposition of Darwin at his clearest. The introduction by Ernst Mayr adds great interest: his 1963 'Animal Species and Evolution' was reviewed as the best book on evolution since the Origin, and his insights are crystalline. This alone makes it the best edition to buy for students in introductory evolution classes.

3) Illustrated Quammen edition.
This edition is an extremely attractive and affordable illustrated edition, again including the text of the first edition. It is useful as a lively introduction for non-specialists, who may be a bit put off by Darwin's sometimes ponderous Victorian prose. This one lends itself to casual flipping, and it can be hoped that such exploration may strike a spark in the open mind. The illustrations are gleaned from a variety of historical and contemporary sources, and link Darwin's ideas to his own lines of evidence in 'Voyage of the Beagle.' The presentation more resembles a modern evolution textbook, and draws the reader (to mix metaphors) onto the slippery slope of Descent with Modification. As a coffee table book, it's a natural selection. The companion Voyage of the Beagle is also a visually appealing tome.

4) Penguin new 150th edition.
A very attractive hardback edition of the first edition (not a facsimile), finely bound in black cloth with an interesting (though not IMO particularly apropos) cover illustration. The Introduction is useful through not especially authoritative. An attractive gift edition, it feels nice in the hand and will look nice on the shelf. A paperback edition is due out in October, which will lack the aesthetic appeal of the cloth edition.

Caveat emptor: Not to be confused with the Cambridge U edition, as Amazon has done on its webpage. No intro by Janet Browne here as advertised in the Amazon blurb. A review by someone has has read the (very pricey) Cambridge edition would be welcome.

5) Everyman Origin / Voyage of the Beagle, in one volume
Attractive, inexpensive pairing of the Origin with its highly readable antecedent. Useful for those who would like to see where CD got his first-hand experience that led to the Origin, and for its value as an adventure story by a young man just out of university, seeing the world for the first time. A slightly more recommendable combination than #6.

6) Modern Library Origin / Descent of Man, in one volume.
Nice paperback combination of the two key / 'notorious' Darwin works. Another nice combo for the general reader. Non-biologists should be warned that Darwin doesn't really have a great deal to say about the actual evolutionary history of humans, as little beyond Neanderthals was known at the time he wrote. There are plenty of more recent books that show our direct common ancestry with the Great Apes, and our trace our affinities with Monkeys: Richard Dawkins' 'The Ancestors Tale' comes to mind. As a consequence, this is marginally less useful combination than the Everyman edition.

***) On Natural Selection (Penguin Books Great Ideas)
Though it came out in 2004, I can't resist recommending Volume 16 in Penguin's Great Ideas series. This inexpensive, slim volume (117 pp) includes four chapters that cut to the heart of the matter: Chap 3 - Struggle for Existence, Chap 4 - Natural Selection, Chap 6 - Difficulties on Theory, and Chap 16 - Conclusions. I have used this edition in a seminar course on evolutionary thought for non-science majors, who otherwise balk at the bulk of the complete text before getting to the critical Chapter 4. If you just want to know what Natural Selection is (and what it is not), here is the book for you.

Not to take one iota of the importance of Darwin's original edition, the addition of pictures and reproductions of bits of letters, journals, and other books merits its own accolades. The book is beautiful, and since "Origin" is in its original form it is even more interesting. My one complaint with the text is minor: the editor refers to Stephen Jay Gould as an ornithologist which is akin to saying that Charles Darwin was an observer of animals.

Even if you have several copies of "Origin" it is worthwhile to add this book to your collection. Some reviewers do not like that the pictures do not match with the text but (to me) their inclusion in a first edition reproduction is simply luscious. To get a closer view of this society-altering point of history is a gift.

This is a short and simple review as other reviewers have aptly described in detail all this book has to offer. When I received it, I rediscovered the joy you had when you were a child of opening up a book that you just knew you were going to treasure - the Origin itself, the illustrations (both drawings & pictures), the excerpts from Darwin's other writings and from the captain of the Beagle - all add to the experience. I thoroughly enjoyed getting lost in it this morning when it arrived as my delight grew as I turned it page by page. I bought it for me, but also with the intent to take it into the classroom to share with my students. This will arouse much more interest among them than a copy of just the Origin itself. Perusing the many illustrations can't help but draw you into reading the captions then some of Darwin's nearby words. Oh, I have no pretensions that the students will read it in it's entirely, but some of them will read some of it and seeing its gorgeous, rich treatment cannot but help them to respect the importance of Darwin's work. It is an expense but well worth Amazon's discounted price!

For those students who might be put off from a large, heavy book, I purchased Daniel Loxton's Evolution: How We and All Living Things Came to Be which condenses the up-to-date scientific knowledge on evolution into one to two page bits by topic again heavy with illustrations but in very simple text.

As to how I intend to get it into my students' hands? I intend to build one of my evolution labs such that the students will need to move station by station and will put these books (and maybe a couple of questions to make sure they open them) at one station. The rest of the time I will keep it on display at the front of the room available for checkout during down time and free reading periods. I will try to remember to let you know how it goes.

Darwin's beautiful sentences need quiet time to be read and reread, but the effort is more than worthwhile. The extras in illustrations and excerpts from other Darwin books make the extraordinary insights and revolutionary conclusions of this edition of the "Origin" all the better.