Charles Darwin

The idea of evolution through descent with modification by means of natural selection was monumental in science and how it challenged the status quo of mid-nineteenth-century Europeans. With the 1859 publication of On the Origin of Species, Charles Darwin confronted the supposed exceptionalism of modern humans and their fabricated hierarchy in a universe supposedly designed by God. This is how biologist J. David Archibald begins his study of Darwin, which ably focuses on the buildup, publication, reception, and aftermath of On the Origin of Species. That will be the center of this review, although Archibald knowledgeably handles many personal and professional aspects of Darwin’s life. One might ask why, after the impressive work of biographers like Janet Browne, Adrian Desmond, and James Moore, we need another biography of Darwin. Historical figures deserve new interpretations, and Archibald’s coverage of Darwin is intelligent, competent, and engaging. This book would be useful...