The Descent of Man (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

by Charles Darwin (Author), James Moore (Contributor), Adrian Desmond (Contributor) "He who wishes to decide whether man is the modified descendant of some pre-existing form, would probably first enquire whether man varies, however slightly, in..." (more)
Key Phrases: rivalry with other males, males through sexual selection, elliptic ornaments, Variation of Animals, United States, New Zealand (more...)

Editorial Reviews

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One of the ten most significant books. -- Sigmund Freud

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One of the ten most significant books. (Sigmund Freud)

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Product Details

• Paperback: 864 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Classics (June 29, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140436316
• ISBN-13: 978-0140436310
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #72,027 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent historical review, September 30, 2001

By	David Horn "San Diego, CA, USA" (San Diego, CA, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Descent of Man (Great Minds Series) (Paperback)

While I would never presume - as some reviewers might - to misstate what is said in this classic volume and then presume to suggest that "now you don't need to read the book," I will say that this is an excellent edition of a classic work. All who have any interest in the history of Darwinian evolution and particularly the historical views of the evolution of man will find this fascinating reading, particularly if the context can be juxtaposed with what has been discovered since Darwin's time. Of course, times have changed, our hopefully less euro-centric views have been altered and there has been considerable progress through the generations since the original publication by Darwin, and that makes the progress of human knowledge all the more fascinating, as well as the insight Darwin obviously possessed in his day. This one's a "must-read" for anyone interested in the history of science.

33 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More than meets the highest standards., July 14, 2001

By	B. Rossen "Equitus" (Netherlands) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex: (With a new introduction by J.T. Bonner and R.M. May) (Paperback)

How is it possible that anyone could be as ignorant as Rondeltap and give this great classic less than 5 stars? Given that it was written in the middle of the 19th Century, it more than meets the highest scientific standards of its time. Furthermore, except perhaps for Darwin's own Origin, it is arguably one of the most important works of its era. When we find that the writings of Marx, Kant and many other giants of that Century can no longer instruct us, we shall find this one still penetratingly relevant.

26 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting view into the views of the late 19th Century, November 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Descent of Man (Great Minds Series) (Paperback)

Although there are many racist and sexist ideas, this was the climate in which Darwin wrote this book. Many of the details are grossly in error, but the book was written over 100 years ago. Many advances in knowledge have been made since then. The basic premise, and the fact that Darwin looked to the African apes as a point of origin for humans is the real beauty of the book. Darwin is many times falsely blamed for "Social Darwinism" which he never proposed nor advocated. Just because someone uses Darwin as a justification for negative ideas and or actions, does not mean that Darwin should be vilified for it. Descent was not a social commentary, but a scientific treatise, and should be treated as such.