Darwin's Origin of Species--A Biography

This brief book, written by the foremost biographer of Darwin, outlines the history of his landmark work, ON THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES. Browne gives an overview of Darwin's life, discusses how he wrote the book (and what influence he had from others), how it was received and debated in Victorian England, and the book's legacy since its publication. Narrator Josephine Bailey reads with poise and aplomb, maintaining a didactic tone throughout. Her gentle, comforting British accent makes this an agreeable reading. However, when narrating quotes, she adopts a scratchy voice or lowers her voice in an attempt to sound more "masculine." This detracts a bit from the overall character of the book. K.M. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine

Starred review from November 6, 2006
It may seem peculiar to write a biography of a book, but Darwin's Origin of Species
is certainly a worthy subject. A foremost Darwin biographer, Browne takes a straightforward approach to the life and times of this famous tome, beginning with Darwin's early years and journey around the world. She then explains how he developed his theory of evolution (a word that doesn't appear in the first edition) during his years as a country scientist. Darwin included an unusual chapter on things he couldn't yet explain with his theory. On publication, the book gained instant celebrity around the globe—even Queen Victoria took notice of it, though she mused that the book would be too difficult for her to understand. In her discussion of the storm the book aroused, Browne makes the fascinating point that Darwin highly respected his American friend Asa Gray, whose views were very similar to those of today's advocates of intelligent design. Browne's final chapter on the book's legacy isn't comprehensive, but it's a good summary of subsequent modifications to Darwin's theory. This excellent introduction is highly recommended for all readers who want to better understand the heated debates that this book still causes today.