The Reluctant Mr. Darwin

The other day, I read the book The Reluctant Mr. Darwin from David Quammen, 2006. The book provides insight into the course of Charles Darwin's life from his return from the voyage on the Beagle until his death. Darwin spent years to catalogue the vast collection of specimens he brought back. He was a self-taught scientist and eventually came to a theory of evolution. He was reluctant to publish but first choose to share his ideas with colleagues. He was afraid of a public backlash and sometimes diverted his attention and energies elsewhere. In the meantime, another scientist, Alfred R. Wallace, independently came to the same ideas about evolution. Then Darwin's colleagues eventually convinced him to publish his theory. His book, The Origin of the Species, found both, acclaim and dislike.

German translation:

• David Quammen: Charles Darwin - Der große Forscher und seine Theorie der Evolution, Piper Verlag, 2010, 9,95 €.