Darwin's Ghosts: The Secret History of Evolution
 | |
| Author | Rebecca Stott |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | History of Science |
| Publisher | Spiegel & Grau |
Publication date | 2012 |
| ISBN | 978-0-8129-8170-4 |
Darwin's Ghosts: The Secret History of Evolution is a nonfiction history of science book by British author Rebecca Stott. It was published in the United States in 2012 by Spiegel & Grau, the international version is subtitled differently: Darwin's Ghosts: In Search of the First Evolutionists. It is written in 12 distinct chapters that highlight persons that contributed to the pre-history of evolution by natural selection, published by Charles Darwin in On the Origin of Species in 1859. The book contains biographical sketches of 12 persons spanning from 344 BC to 19th century contemporaries of Darwin.
The book has received reviews from notable reviewers[1][2][3] and was included on the New York Times Book Review 100 Notable Books 2012 list.[4]
Synopsis[edit]
Tho focus of each chapter is summarized in the table below.
| Chapter Number | Title | Bibliographic Focus | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Darwin's List | Charles Darwin | 1859 | Kent |
| 2 | Aristolte's Eyes | Aristotle | 344 BCE | Lesbos |
| 3 | The Worshipful Curiosity of Jahiz | Al-Jahiz | 850 | Basra & Baghdad |
| 4 | Leonardo and the Potter | Leonardo da Vinci | 1493
1570 |
Milan
Paris |
| 5 | Trembley's Polyp | Abraham Trembley | 1740 | The Hague |
| 6 | The Consul of Cairo | Benoît de Maillet | 1708 | Cairo |
| 7 | The Hotel of the Philosophers | Denis Diderot | 1749 | Paris |
| 8 | Erasmus Underground | Erasmus Darwin | 1767 | Derbyshire |
| 9 | The Jardin des Plantes | Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire | 1800 | Paris |
| 10 | The Sponge Philosopher | Robert Edmond Grant | 1826 | Edinburgh |
| 11 | The Encyclopedist | Robert Chambers | 1844 | Edinburgh |
| 12 | Alfred Wallace's Fevered Dream | Alfred Russel Wallace | 1858 | Malay Archipelago |
References[edit]
- ^ "Darwin's Ghosts: The Secret History of Evolution | Washington Independent Review of Books". www.washingtonindependentreviewofbooks.com. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
- ^ Raffles, Hugh (2012-07-13). "Revolutionary Theory". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
- ^ Fortey, Richard (2012-06-01). "Darwin's Ghosts by Rebecca Stott – review". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-01-03.
- ^ "100 Notable Books of 2012". The New York Times. 2012-11-27. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-01-03.