Charles Darwin's Letters: A Selection, 1825-1859 (Hardcover)

by Charles Darwin (Author), Frederick Burkhardt (Editor), Stephen Jay Gould (Foreword) "As I suppose Erasmus has given all the particulars of the journey I will say no more about it, except that alltogether it has cost..." (more)
Key Phrases: species theory, Down Bromley Kent, Charles Darwin, New Zealand (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
This selection from the seven volumes of Darwin's collected correspondence spans the great naturalist's life and career from university days in Edinburgh to the publication of the epochal Origin of Species in 1859. Pride of place in terms of priority naturally goes to Darwin's youthful and seminal service on the Beagle, yet the whole gathering of letters constitutes a fascinating tale. In communication with an astonishing range of correspondents, Darwin begins his interest in natural science, collects evidence, and forms his theories seemingly as we watch. His correspondence comes from and exemplifies the arguably highest point of written documentation. Darwin and his educated contemporaries were literate enough to make their thought commonly and permanently accessible. Theirs is not the "communication" of the throwaway age of electronic information overload. These letters put us at the elbow of a brilliant man as he gives birth to some of the most significant ideas in the history of science. Dennis Winters

Review
'One of the great feasts of editing in decades has been the painstaking assembly, by a suite of scholars, of the letters of Charles Darwin ... This little hardback is just a hint of the riches contained in the Cambridge series, at nine volumes so far and still going.' The Guardian

'Charles Darwin's Letters show Darwin as a captivating correspondent ... his excitement as his theory takes shape is catching.' New Scientist

'... a charming and stimulating introduction to Darwin's world.' Richard Yeo, Metascience

'The selection is a satisfying blend of personal details and scientific debate.' Plant Genetic Resources Newsletter

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 1st Edition edition (March 29, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521562120
• ISBN-13: 978-0521562126
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,906,215 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A Helpful Sampling of Darwin Correspondence, May 31, 2007

By	Ronald H. Clark (WASHINGTON, DC USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Charles Darwin's Letters: A Selection, 1825-1859 (Canto original series) (Paperback)

In May of 2007, the Darwin Correspondence Project, based at Cambridge University, announced that it had placed an additional 5,000 largely unpublished Darwin letters onto its excellent web site (darwin-online.org.uk). This website is a treasurehouse of the first order for anyone interested in Darwin and Victornian intellectual history. Of course, Cambridge University Press has published a number of volumes in its Darwin correspondence series. However, for a quick dip into Darwin's letters, to get a feel from what is there, this collection covering the period up to the publication in 1859 of "Origin" is a handy introduction. The book has a Foreword by the late Stephen Jay Gould which places the letters into the context of what as going on in Victorian science. The editor, Frederick Burkhardt, has added a helpfujl Introduction and "Editor's Note." The letters are in chronological order, the first being written in 1825 while Darwin was studying medicine at the University of Edinburgh. Next are letters relating to Cambridge, the offer to make the Beagle voyage, the voyage to South America, and Homeward Bound. So there is plenty of coverage of Darwin's epic trip. But the letters continue after his return up until publication of the Origin. The editor has included some helpful notes, a Biographical Register, Bibliography and Bibliographical Note, and suggestions for further reading (a bit out of date since the book was put together in 1996). All together a very nice and inexpensive package loaded with interesting information and providing the opportunity to come more directly into contact with that most scintilating of minds, that of Darwin.