An engrossing, informative, and exciting blend of biography, ecology, history, and discovery, "The Spice Islands Voyage" takes readers on a travel adventure to a tropical wilderness to rediscover Alfred Russel Wallace, Charles Darwin's forgotten partner. Original line drawings. of color photos.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
No mere travelogue of palm-fringed beaches and photogenic natives, Tim Severin's The Spice Islands Voyage is a rewarding mix of historical biography, contemporary adventure travel, and firm (but not shrill) warnings for the future of this exotic East Indonesian island group. As he relates his experiences sailing the archipelago in an indigenous prahu, Severin brings to life both the lush, volcano-spawned isles and Alfred Wallace, the 19th-century British naturalist whose myriad travels here provide the blueprint for Severin's own journey. A shy, self-taught naturalist with a gift for intuitive leaps of genius, Wallace authored a groundbreaking essay (conceived and written in the Spice Islands) on natural selection--an essay his idol, Charles Darwin, may have "mined" for his own theory of evolution.
Now, 140 years later, Severin sets forth to see how the clear turquoise waters, teeming reefs, and wildly diverse animal life that entranced and inspired Wallace have fared. Searching out boldly feathered birds of paradise, graceful green sea turtles, blue-capped maleos, and black-crested macaques, he finds reason for both hope and despair. In some regions, a blend of traditional subsistence hunting and human ingenuity has allowed imperiled species to hold their own; in others, shortsighted greed is decimating one of the most varied plant and animal kingdoms on earth.
Well written, generously illustrated, and powerfully evocative, The Spice Islands Voyage opens a window onto a fascinating historical figure and the precarious state of the islands he loved. --Rebecca Gleason --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Publishers Weekly
Written in the vein of Thor Heyerdahl's Kon Tiki, this engaging book takes a fascinating armchair voyage through the Indonesian Archipelago journeys of Victorian naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913). Author and world-class explorer Severin (The China Voyage) builds a close approximation of the boat Wallace used and then relies on Wallace's immensely well-received book, The Malay Archipelago, to plot his modern route. The point is twofold: to compare the teeming tropical environment Wallace so carefully combed and beautifully described to today's, and to remind 20th-century readers that Darwin's theory of natural selection was not his alone. Severin does a credible job of showing Wallace's likely?albeit unknowing?role in helping Darwin pull together his momentous concept after 20 years of research. According to Severin, Wallace put the basic concept down on paper in between bouts of delirium occasioned by jungle fever. He then sent his ideas to Darwin and others in the English scientific community for feedback. Darwin published his tome Origin of Species not long after. Although the theory of evolution by natural selection was initially called the Darwin-Wallace Theory, Wallace's name was soon dropped in most circles. Overall, Severin's environmental message is more upbeat than his historical reporting. Many of the areas Wallace once traipsed remain relatively sound ecologically. The key to their good health, Severin believes, lies in how the natives co-exist with the land, trying not to destroy more wildlife than is necessary. It's a moral that readers of Severin's splendid book will embrace, and one with which Wallace could easily have agreed. Illustrated with numerous line drawings and 12 pages of full-color photos. BOMC featured selection.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Good Introduction to Wallace and Indonesia,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Spice Islands Voyage: The Quest for Alfred Wallace, the Man Who Shared Darwin's Discovery of Evolution (Hardcover)
Beginning naturalists like me need enjoyable, readable books such as this to help us learn about our field. I had been interested in Alfred Wallace from the time I first learned of him as the guy who thought up the theory of evolution and survival of the fittest at the same time as Darwin. I wanted more information and looked for a biography of Wallace. Someone suggested The Spice Islands Voyage instead of a traditional biography. The first time I approached the book, I plunged in craving a biography and didn't get past chapter 3 because I felt bogged down by all Severin's detailed descriptions of boat building. I put the book down for over a year, unsatisfied, still wanting to know Wallace. I finally came back to the book with more realistic expectations, understanding that I would read not only about Wallace, but also about Severin's team's journey to retrace his footsteps. Once I began to read with more patience I was pleased with the book. I found out what I wanted to know about Wallace and got the bonus of learning a lot about Indonesia and sailing. Severin is a traveling sailor-amateur naturalist-author, who is writing to appeal to a large audience, so I wouldn't expect a scholarly, scientific work. As an introduction to Wallace and Indonesia for someone who has a beginning interest, I feel the book is valuable. Most other complaints about the hardcover edition can probably be attributed to cost cutting measures in publication. Artwork that was almost certainly created in watercolors looses much of its pizzazz when displayed in black and white. Color photos cost less when grouped in the center pages, but are never as effective as they would be when integrated with the text. Multiple and detailed maps are another expense. College students often complain about the cost of textbooks for some of these very reasons. This is not a textbook, so I feel the readers should be willing to make allowances for cost. It is clear that Severin is a fan of Wallace and aims to give him more recognition. To achieve this goal he does downplay Darwin a tad bit overmuch. To a naturalist reader already grounded in Darwin, this is no harm. To a reader from that wider audience approaching with perhaps a sailing interest in Indonesia, reading about Darwin for the first time, this may be a slightly unfair depiction. However I would rate the danger as only minimal. I was intrigued by Wallace when I began reading, and came away a full-fledged fan. I definitely recommend this book.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful, well written journal,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Spice Islands Voyage: The Quest for Alfred Wallace, The Man Who Shared Darwin's Discovery of Evolution (Paperback)
I thought this book kept it's promise. It was part scientific, part historical, part travelogue. I would give it a 4.5 out of 5. I look forward to reading other books by Tim Severin. He has a deft way of braiding in adventure with history. He obviously spends a lot of time researching his material.
7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
An extremly interesting book on an area and an individual,
By Sanford P Sher (Philadelphia,Pa) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Spice Islands Voyage: The Quest for Alfred Wallace, the Man Who Shared Darwin's Discovery of Evolution (Hardcover)
An extremly interesting review of the travels and work of Alfred Wallace who doesn't seem to have been given credit along with Darwin.Mr Severin seems to be adept in building historic boats and reconstructing the voyages. I found the pictures muddy and the maps not detailed enough.
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