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أسطول داروين: كيف ربح أربعة رحالة إلى أسترالاسيا معركة التطور وغيروا وجه العالم
يحكي لنا إيان ماكالمان، المؤرخ الثقافي الفائز بجوائز عديدة، قصصَ تشارلز داروين وأبرز مناصريه وزملائه: جوزيف هوكر، وتوماس هَكسلي، وألفريد والاس. تبدأ الحكاية بيوم ٢٦ من أبريل عام ١٨٨٢؛ ذلك اليوم الحزين الذي شهد جنازة داروين، ثم يعود المؤلف بالزمن إلى الوراء ويروي قصة حياة كل واحدٍ من هؤلاء المستكشفين واكتشافاته العلمية.
لقد سافر علماء التاريخ الطبيعي الأربعة على نحوٍ منفصل من بريطانيا إلى نصف الكرة الجنوبي بحثًا عن المغامرة والشهرة العلمية. وبدايةً من رحلة داروين الأولى على متن السفينة بيجل في عام ١٨٣٥، وانتهاءً باستكشاف والاس للأمازون، ثم منطقة الملايو في أربعينيات القرن التاسع عشر وخمسينياته، توصَّل كل واحدٍ من زملاء داروين أولئك على نحوٍ مستقل إلى اكتشافاتٍ أدَّت به إلى اعتناق نظرية داروين الثورية عن التطوُّر. يكشف هذا الكتاب النقاب عن القصة غير المروية لأعظم مؤيدي داروين، الذين خاضوا خلال حياته حربًا للأفكار حول قضية التطوُّر، والذين مضَوْا بعد ذلك في توسيع نطاق أعماله ودعمها.
لقد سافر علماء التاريخ الطبيعي الأربعة على نحوٍ منفصل من بريطانيا إلى نصف الكرة الجنوبي بحثًا عن المغامرة والشهرة العلمية. وبدايةً من رحلة داروين الأولى على متن السفينة بيجل في عام ١٨٣٥، وانتهاءً باستكشاف والاس للأمازون، ثم منطقة الملايو في أربعينيات القرن التاسع عشر وخمسينياته، توصَّل كل واحدٍ من زملاء داروين أولئك على نحوٍ مستقل إلى اكتشافاتٍ أدَّت به إلى اعتناق نظرية داروين الثورية عن التطوُّر. يكشف هذا الكتاب النقاب عن القصة غير المروية لأعظم مؤيدي داروين، الذين خاضوا خلال حياته حربًا للأفكار حول قضية التطوُّر، والذين مضَوْا بعد ذلك في توسيع نطاق أعماله ودعمها.
431 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2009
108 people are currently reading
966 people want to read
About the author
Iain McCalman
22books18followersIain McCalman is professor of history and the humanities at the University of Sydney. He has published numerous books and journal articles. His latest book, The Reef: A Passionate History, from Captain Cook to Climate Change, was published in Australia and the USA. Beyond his research, he has been an historical consultant and narrator for the BBC, ABC and other TV and film documentaries. His interest areas are the history of western environmental and cultural crises; scientific voyaging, ethnography and environmentalism and is currently the co-director at the Sydney Environment Institute.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
September 2, 2018
I am always in for the ride with books about early 19th Century scientists, whether it's the dinosaur hunters or the batshit crazy naturalists who went on 5 year long voyages documenting penguins and drying plants. Which the four men in this book are. Thoroughly enjoyable read, feels like a thriller at points, detailing the lives, voyages and subsequent publications and debates of Charles Darwin, Thomas Huxley, Alfred Wallace and Joseph Hooker, the last three being his most trusted friends, those who carried Darwin's coffin at his burial in Westminster Abbey. There is something very romantic in their scientific endeavors, and something deeply touching about how their imaginations were sparked when they were children by reading books written by the grandest explorers/navigators. Would recommend to anyone interested in the history of science, as well as how the theory of evolution was built in their minds by their refusal to accept doctrine, and unwavering dedication to the scientific method.
December 21, 2013
Darwin's Armada, is a marvelous narrative of the lives of four men: Charles Darwin, Thomas Huxley, Joseph Hooker and Alfred Wallace.
Iain McCalman offers not an insight or analysis of the theory of evolution per se, but instead he gives us the fascinating history behind these great pioneer scientists in which you will delight yourself with exciting vivid experiences during their voyages, their struggles, their emotions and feelings as well as the invaluable friendship that eventually formed among all of them on their adventure that led them to what is now the central dogma of biology: the Theory of Evolution.
Charles Darwin, the man behind the Origin of Species, The Descent of Man and Voyage of the Beagle among others, continues to be an inspiration of so many scientists, including myself. Darwin revolutionized our view of man and, without intending to, challenged the Intelligent Design of Creationists defying faith through reason and observation with a simple and elegant theory of natural selection:
“There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.�
Thomas Huxley, a biologist, paleontologist and a social philosopher was at the beginning skeptical of Origins but afterwards became one of the strongest supporters standing up for his friend whenever he couldn't attend a debate; he later became known as Darwin's bulldog. Huxley was also was strongly against black slavery and subordination of woman. His personality was very amusing and enjoyable to read. In response to Richard Owen at the Oxford debate, where Huxley was asked whether it was though his grandmother's or grandfather's side that he was related to an ape, he said:
'I rather have a miserable ape for a grandfather' than a man 'possessed of great means of influence & yet employs..... that influence for the mere purpose of introducing ridicule into a great scientific discussion..... I would rather be an ape than a bishop"
Joseph Hooker, a botanist and biogeographer, was another of Darwin's warrior an loyal friend. Knowing of Wallace work, Hooker came in support to help Darwin win the race to publish and take full credit of his theory before Wallace. Was this the result of a real friend or a high class conspiracy against the work of Wallace? You can find a wide array of opinions on this matter in many different biographies.
Finally, Alfred Wallace, the shy lower-class cutout naturalist without the influence or the name prestige of someone as Darwin or his friends. I admit not to have been fully familiar with Alfred Wallace contribution on the theory, except knowing that he wrote a paper around the same time as Darwin did. Anyways, I ended up having an enormous admiration for his persona, his intellect and passion on his work as a naturalist and the humility and respect with which he accepted and replied to Darwin when finding out that he was not the first one to come up with the idea on natural selection. Wallace was very proud to call himself Darwin's knight.
I think Darwin's Armada was beautiful and very pleasant to read throughout the entire book and made me have greater respect and admiration of the work behind these men. It is one of those books, that your interest increases along with your reading, it captivates you. If you are an admirer of Darwin, Wallace and the Theory of Evolution...this is a book you don't want to miss! It is a simple, well-written and an elegant narrative denoting an impressive research by the author on each one of these great men with a unique perspective and about friendship. Darwin said: “A mans friendships are one of the best measures of his worth.� Definitely, I will enjoy reading Darwin's Armada and about these "X-ers" again.
“The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.�
� Charles Darwin
Iain McCalman offers not an insight or analysis of the theory of evolution per se, but instead he gives us the fascinating history behind these great pioneer scientists in which you will delight yourself with exciting vivid experiences during their voyages, their struggles, their emotions and feelings as well as the invaluable friendship that eventually formed among all of them on their adventure that led them to what is now the central dogma of biology: the Theory of Evolution.
Charles Darwin, the man behind the Origin of Species, The Descent of Man and Voyage of the Beagle among others, continues to be an inspiration of so many scientists, including myself. Darwin revolutionized our view of man and, without intending to, challenged the Intelligent Design of Creationists defying faith through reason and observation with a simple and elegant theory of natural selection:
“There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.�
Thomas Huxley, a biologist, paleontologist and a social philosopher was at the beginning skeptical of Origins but afterwards became one of the strongest supporters standing up for his friend whenever he couldn't attend a debate; he later became known as Darwin's bulldog. Huxley was also was strongly against black slavery and subordination of woman. His personality was very amusing and enjoyable to read. In response to Richard Owen at the Oxford debate, where Huxley was asked whether it was though his grandmother's or grandfather's side that he was related to an ape, he said:
'I rather have a miserable ape for a grandfather' than a man 'possessed of great means of influence & yet employs..... that influence for the mere purpose of introducing ridicule into a great scientific discussion..... I would rather be an ape than a bishop"
Joseph Hooker, a botanist and biogeographer, was another of Darwin's warrior an loyal friend. Knowing of Wallace work, Hooker came in support to help Darwin win the race to publish and take full credit of his theory before Wallace. Was this the result of a real friend or a high class conspiracy against the work of Wallace? You can find a wide array of opinions on this matter in many different biographies.
Finally, Alfred Wallace, the shy lower-class cutout naturalist without the influence or the name prestige of someone as Darwin or his friends. I admit not to have been fully familiar with Alfred Wallace contribution on the theory, except knowing that he wrote a paper around the same time as Darwin did. Anyways, I ended up having an enormous admiration for his persona, his intellect and passion on his work as a naturalist and the humility and respect with which he accepted and replied to Darwin when finding out that he was not the first one to come up with the idea on natural selection. Wallace was very proud to call himself Darwin's knight.
I think Darwin's Armada was beautiful and very pleasant to read throughout the entire book and made me have greater respect and admiration of the work behind these men. It is one of those books, that your interest increases along with your reading, it captivates you. If you are an admirer of Darwin, Wallace and the Theory of Evolution...this is a book you don't want to miss! It is a simple, well-written and an elegant narrative denoting an impressive research by the author on each one of these great men with a unique perspective and about friendship. Darwin said: “A mans friendships are one of the best measures of his worth.� Definitely, I will enjoy reading Darwin's Armada and about these "X-ers" again.
“The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.�
� Charles Darwin
December 26, 2017
This book covers the voyages of four great naturalists: Charles Darwin, Joseph Hooker, Thomas Huxley and Alfred Russell Wallace. The book demonstrates how their travel experiences and backgrounds all tied together in the ensuing battle over Darwin's ideas in the Origin of Species (all of them were fierce defenders of the book). It is an eminently readable book - a page-turner! Each of their stories is gripping in its own way, and the book does an excellent job of getting you invested in their lives. In the author's descriptions, each of these giants of science feel very human and very relatable. I knew the basics of each one's story but I learned an enormous amount from this book and am intrigued to learn more about each man (especially Huxley! What a character).
One serious flaw of the book is that it is written from a very white perspective - the men all traveled to areas with indigenous populations, and their opinions on those populations are relayed without any context. It is not 1845 anymore - if you're going to list a white Victorian's naturalist's prejudiced quotes about Polynesian society, you should also print the perspective of a Polynesian observer, or at least provide context on what the naturalist got wrong (which is a lot!). The book also describes a prominent figure as a "rich slave-owner" and "humane and generous" in the same sentence, without any further context. And while I know it wasn't the focus of the book, the glancing reference to the warped use of Darwinism for racism in the epilogue seems like a missed opportunity. One redeeming aspect was the author's narration of Wallace and Huxley against the racist 'Anthropologicals' in the epilogue.
The rest of the book is very well written and extremely interesting, and the science is handled in an understandable manner even for non-scientists. The thesis is well laid out and the author demonstrates very well how their voyage experiences influenced each naturalist's thoughts and opinions on evolution. It also handles the controversial aspects of Wallace and Darwin's independent ideas on natural selection quite well, laying out the various arguments fairly (although the author is clearly a Darwin fan - though to be fair so was Wallace!). Overall, I really enjoyed this book (or at least 90% of it!).
One serious flaw of the book is that it is written from a very white perspective - the men all traveled to areas with indigenous populations, and their opinions on those populations are relayed without any context. It is not 1845 anymore - if you're going to list a white Victorian's naturalist's prejudiced quotes about Polynesian society, you should also print the perspective of a Polynesian observer, or at least provide context on what the naturalist got wrong (which is a lot!). The book also describes a prominent figure as a "rich slave-owner" and "humane and generous" in the same sentence, without any further context. And while I know it wasn't the focus of the book, the glancing reference to the warped use of Darwinism for racism in the epilogue seems like a missed opportunity. One redeeming aspect was the author's narration of Wallace and Huxley against the racist 'Anthropologicals' in the epilogue.
The rest of the book is very well written and extremely interesting, and the science is handled in an understandable manner even for non-scientists. The thesis is well laid out and the author demonstrates very well how their voyage experiences influenced each naturalist's thoughts and opinions on evolution. It also handles the controversial aspects of Wallace and Darwin's independent ideas on natural selection quite well, laying out the various arguments fairly (although the author is clearly a Darwin fan - though to be fair so was Wallace!). Overall, I really enjoyed this book (or at least 90% of it!).
November 2, 2014
The poignant experiences of the four natural historians who brought about the publication and battle for evolution in Victorian science is the crux of the book, ending with how the four met and the intertwining of their lives through to their successful ends. The key elements for me were the political maneuverings of presenting evolution to the scientific community as well as the climax of Darwin's late publication against Wallace's insights to the central theory of evolution that threatened Darwin's own pioneering work. While Darwin simply should have published earlier, in my mind, he was trapped in the belief to need scientific perfection. Wallace was a catalyst to get Darwin back into writing form. The book had incredible human insights to these giants of science. Their strengths, vices, fears, and passions were amazing to read, and their raw dedication through 19th century travel to the unknown was fantastic. This was a well researched work with 20-40 footnotes per chapters that were primary resources. My one constant wish as I read was a visual timeline of who was discovering what, especially given the overlap.
February 13, 2014
I liked this book very much: it was a gift perfectly matched to my reading preference and current interests. The 'Armada' metaphor works well to capture both the influence of the sea journeying of the four main scientist protagonists (Darwin, Hooker, Huxley and the heroic Wallace), as well as their co-joined war on the science deniers of their day. It is pertinent to be reminded of how young these scientists were - in their early 20's - when they adventured into unknown environments and privations. They formulated their science in this period of youth and refined and systematised it in their 30s, fought its naysayers in their mature years. Their histories and relationships are recounted and analysed by Iain McCalman in easily absorbable ways and his analysis has contemporary purposes. Great!
August 2, 2018
I really liked how the stories of these men (Darwin, Hooker, Huxley, Wallace) were told in this book. Most of it is basically the biographies of four men, each younger than the previous one. Although these contain many details of their everyday life, each one is mainly a story of travel and exploration in the South Seas or the tropics. These travels come to their end as the four members of the "Armada" join, back in Britain, to discuss and defend the theory of evolution and to ascend in the esteem and recognition of the scientific and political establishment (which some find more difficult than the others). I'd read quite a lot about Charles Darwin, rather less about the other three, but even with regards to the father of evolution I was delighted to find many new facts in this book. The stories of the other three will, I'm sure, move and delight many more readers.
February 7, 2010
I am fascinated by Darwin's life
February 15, 2010
slow read for me. well written, interesting look at science in the 19th century.
November 12, 2023
What a beautiful, educational & inspiring read. Possibly my favourite book I have ever picked up.
August 17, 2017
أسطول داروين
كيف ربح أربعة رحالة إلي أسترالاسيا
معركة التطور وغيروا وجه العالم
إيان ماكالمان
...............................
الشائع بيننا أن فكرة التطور التي اشتهر بها داروين، هي من انتاجه العقلي وحده بلا شركاء، لكن الحقيقة ان الفكرة نفسها كانت بدأت في الظهور قبله بزمن، وبدات تتحول لحديث العلماء، إلا ان احدا لم لملك عليها دليلا، ولم يملك أحدا الشجاعة للجهر بها قبل داروين، فداروين هو اول من سعي وراء الحلم، وأول من عمل علي التحقق من صدقه بالأدلة القطعية، لذلك فالنظرية تنسب إليه.
لكن الصحيح أيضا أن النظرية قد ساعد في انشائها وتثبيت أركانها في الأرض آخرون بعد داروين، وهذا الكتاب يتحدث في قصة الأربعة الذين أسسوا هذه النظرية بمجهودهم ومثابرتهم.
الكتاب ينقسم لأجزاء، كل جزء منها يتحدث عن واحد من هؤلاء العلماء.
الجزء الأول: تشارلز داروين والسفينة بيجل.
الجزء الثاني: جوزيف هوكر وبعثة القبطان روس.
الجزء الثالث: توماس هكسلي ورحلة السفينة راتل سينك.
الجزء الرابع: ألفريد والاس في الأمازون وجنوب شرقي آسيا.
من العناوين الأربعة لأجزاء الكتا��، وعناوينها الفرعية نتعرف علي القصة الكاملة لكل واحد من هؤلاء العلماء، وكيف أسهم في بناء النظرية، ويتطرق الكاتب إلي الحياة الشخصية لكل عالم منهم ونشأته.
الكتاب جاوزت صفحاته الأربعمائة، وهو يعتبر م��تفيضا في الشرح حتي لبعض الامور الدقيقة في بعض علم الجغرافيا والأحياء مما قد يجعله مملا أحيانا، لكنه مميز في استيفائه لموضوعه.
كيف ربح أربعة رحالة إلي أسترالاسيا
معركة التطور وغيروا وجه العالم
إيان ماكالمان
...............................
الشائع بيننا أن فكرة التطور التي اشتهر بها داروين، هي من انتاجه العقلي وحده بلا شركاء، لكن الحقيقة ان الفكرة نفسها كانت بدأت في الظهور قبله بزمن، وبدات تتحول لحديث العلماء، إلا ان احدا لم لملك عليها دليلا، ولم يملك أحدا الشجاعة للجهر بها قبل داروين، فداروين هو اول من سعي وراء الحلم، وأول من عمل علي التحقق من صدقه بالأدلة القطعية، لذلك فالنظرية تنسب إليه.
لكن الصحيح أيضا أن النظرية قد ساعد في انشائها وتثبيت أركانها في الأرض آخرون بعد داروين، وهذا الكتاب يتحدث في قصة الأربعة الذين أسسوا هذه النظرية بمجهودهم ومثابرتهم.
الكتاب ينقسم لأجزاء، كل جزء منها يتحدث عن واحد من هؤلاء العلماء.
الجزء الأول: تشارلز داروين والسفينة بيجل.
الجزء الثاني: جوزيف هوكر وبعثة القبطان روس.
الجزء الثالث: توماس هكسلي ورحلة السفينة راتل سينك.
الجزء الرابع: ألفريد والاس في الأمازون وجنوب شرقي آسيا.
من العناوين الأربعة لأجزاء الكتا��، وعناوينها الفرعية نتعرف علي القصة الكاملة لكل واحد من هؤلاء العلماء، وكيف أسهم في بناء النظرية، ويتطرق الكاتب إلي الحياة الشخصية لكل عالم منهم ونشأته.
الكتاب جاوزت صفحاته الأربعمائة، وهو يعتبر م��تفيضا في الشرح حتي لبعض الامور الدقيقة في بعض علم الجغرافيا والأحياء مما قد يجعله مملا أحيانا، لكنه مميز في استيفائه لموضوعه.
February 7, 2018
An excellent story � well-written, with convincing portraits of many characters, and simultaneously detailed and well-paced. The story of Darwin’s and other scientist’s explorations, disappointments, and real-world struggles in the hierarchical world of Victorian England was really compelling and made their achievements all the more impressive because of the context. The scientists other than Darwin are not household names, but the book described their significant work and how all of the parts contributed to the whole � the profound change in influence and credibility between traditional theories of species� origin and the theory we all know as “survival of the fittest.� Definitely worth a read if you like history, history of science, biology, zoology, botany, or just a really good true story.
November 20, 2012
I loved this book! Biography in general is so hit an miss in my experience. It is so hard to get a writer to bring in an emotional tug while sticking to facts and I really felt this author pulled this off. I had a bit of a hard time with the first half as the characters skipped around and it took some time to build the connections but by the second half he really hits you with the emotional ties of these men, and the scope of the work they were trying to achieve. I gained a huge appreciation for Wallace and his work in this area, that was I thought evenly unbiased. I absolutely recommend this one for anyone looking for a multifaceted biography with an interest in scientific discovery and exploration.
November 24, 2017
Thoroughly enjoyed reading about Darwin, Huxley, Hooker and Wallace. Brilliant minds discovering new scientific theories, exploring exotic lands on sometimes flimsy wooden ships, the hardships, illnesses, near death experiences...and leading to Darwin’s theory.
September 30, 2009
An excellent biographical survey of the early proponents of the now-
ascendant Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection.
ascendant Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection.
September 9, 2011
A wonderful insight into the events leading up to the publication of these ideas.
May 13, 2012
I loved this book so much that I even wrote to the author to thank him for it.
June 19, 2012
Excellent read... Author takes you on the adventure from discovery to publication to debating... Now if 50% of U.S. would just jump on board
January 17, 2013
evolution combined with travel writing and south sea exploration. what could be better.
May 12, 2013
This was an excellent and informative read!
March 15, 2023
Interesting subject matter exploring the Darwin's Theory of Evolution by delving into his, and then his mentees' (Joseph Hooker, Thomas Huxley, Alfred Wallace) studies of nature in South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia and how it contributed to an evolving understanding of species development.
The writing of the book is a bit mixed. The first half focuses on Darwin's, Hooker's, and Huxley's expeditions and fluctuates between overly trivial details that can take a full chapter mixed a general failure to paint the larger cultural and historical context in which they were working. It this way the first half of Darwin's Armada meanders from data point to data point without drawing enough connection.
When we reach Wallace's story the drama opens up. Alot of this because his travels were more dramatic by nature. While the other three explorers largely used their ships as a home base from which they ventured to study and gather specimens, Wallace left the ship to explore the interior of South America by canoe and hiking (much as Alexander von Humboldt had done a half century earlier). Wallace faced more obstacles getting his voyage off the ground (neither he nor Huxley came from money or social connections that paved the way as their status had done for Darwin and Hooker). While each of the travelers faced disease, Wallace was stricken with malaria which he bore for the rest of his life, plus all sorts of microbial stinger invading his body. And because of moving away from the protection of the mother ship, he faced occasionally hostile natives while soloing South America. Plus, after five years of study and collecting samples, it was all destroyed on his return to England when the ship caught fire, forcing him and crew to abandon and survive for three weeks in dinghies bobbing across the Atlantic Ocean.
The book does a nice job of expounding how Wallace came to similar theories on evolution as Darwin even both worked on this idea in isolation from the other. When Wallace did write Darwin of his thoughts and ideas on evolution, the elder naturalist grew concerned that the young whippersnapper might beat Darwin to publishing his theories before Darwin had laid the proper groundwork for his own advancement of the idea.
The book also elucidates how Darwin's and Wallace's theories, while similar, diverged. At First Darwin began with the belief that only-the-strongest-survive while Wallace believed the lesson was that only those flora and fauna who adapt to their ever-changing environments are apt to continue their gene pools. It was the adaptive element rather than brute strength that became central to Evolutionary Theory and that was so hotly contested by their detractors.
The last chapter of the book is where we see the studies placed into a historical context as the four of them battle cooperatively to advance their theories to the established and stodgy scientific community whose thoughts were steeped in creationism.
I think there's a necessary penance in reading the first half of Darwin's Armada, if only to pick up the science each man explored and how it contributed to the larger theory. Get through this part so you can move fully into the second half of the book where the magic starts happening.
I spoken to a few readers who have said it's a pity didn't keep Wallace as its main focus. It is interested to see how Wallace's venture into spiritualism nearly ruined his standing with the Darwin crowd of new scientists. Old stodgy, meet the new stodgy. It's a hint at how closed-minded Western thinking can be with its strict dualism and inability to grapple with contradictions as simultaneously true.
It is this final chapter that is certainly the most thought provoking of the book.
As a personal note, although sometimes mentioned I would have liked to see more made of Alexander von Humboldt's contributions to Darwin's thinking. I believe there's a continual realization of the scientific that Humboldt heralded, Darwin learned and developed, and that inspired Hooker, Huxley, and Wallace. Larger historical insight and exploration could have greatly enhanced this read.
The writing of the book is a bit mixed. The first half focuses on Darwin's, Hooker's, and Huxley's expeditions and fluctuates between overly trivial details that can take a full chapter mixed a general failure to paint the larger cultural and historical context in which they were working. It this way the first half of Darwin's Armada meanders from data point to data point without drawing enough connection.
When we reach Wallace's story the drama opens up. Alot of this because his travels were more dramatic by nature. While the other three explorers largely used their ships as a home base from which they ventured to study and gather specimens, Wallace left the ship to explore the interior of South America by canoe and hiking (much as Alexander von Humboldt had done a half century earlier). Wallace faced more obstacles getting his voyage off the ground (neither he nor Huxley came from money or social connections that paved the way as their status had done for Darwin and Hooker). While each of the travelers faced disease, Wallace was stricken with malaria which he bore for the rest of his life, plus all sorts of microbial stinger invading his body. And because of moving away from the protection of the mother ship, he faced occasionally hostile natives while soloing South America. Plus, after five years of study and collecting samples, it was all destroyed on his return to England when the ship caught fire, forcing him and crew to abandon and survive for three weeks in dinghies bobbing across the Atlantic Ocean.
The book does a nice job of expounding how Wallace came to similar theories on evolution as Darwin even both worked on this idea in isolation from the other. When Wallace did write Darwin of his thoughts and ideas on evolution, the elder naturalist grew concerned that the young whippersnapper might beat Darwin to publishing his theories before Darwin had laid the proper groundwork for his own advancement of the idea.
The book also elucidates how Darwin's and Wallace's theories, while similar, diverged. At First Darwin began with the belief that only-the-strongest-survive while Wallace believed the lesson was that only those flora and fauna who adapt to their ever-changing environments are apt to continue their gene pools. It was the adaptive element rather than brute strength that became central to Evolutionary Theory and that was so hotly contested by their detractors.
The last chapter of the book is where we see the studies placed into a historical context as the four of them battle cooperatively to advance their theories to the established and stodgy scientific community whose thoughts were steeped in creationism.
I think there's a necessary penance in reading the first half of Darwin's Armada, if only to pick up the science each man explored and how it contributed to the larger theory. Get through this part so you can move fully into the second half of the book where the magic starts happening.
I spoken to a few readers who have said it's a pity didn't keep Wallace as its main focus. It is interested to see how Wallace's venture into spiritualism nearly ruined his standing with the Darwin crowd of new scientists. Old stodgy, meet the new stodgy. It's a hint at how closed-minded Western thinking can be with its strict dualism and inability to grapple with contradictions as simultaneously true.
It is this final chapter that is certainly the most thought provoking of the book.
As a personal note, although sometimes mentioned I would have liked to see more made of Alexander von Humboldt's contributions to Darwin's thinking. I believe there's a continual realization of the scientific that Humboldt heralded, Darwin learned and developed, and that inspired Hooker, Huxley, and Wallace. Larger historical insight and exploration could have greatly enhanced this read.
May 16, 2020
A book that chronicles the development of the theory of evolution told as a bildungsroman of four men: Charles Darwin (and his journey to South America and the Galapagos), Alfred Russell Wallace (and his journey to the Amazon, and modern day Singapore and Indonesia), Thomas Huxley (and his journey to Australia and Papua New Guinea), and Joseph Hooker (and his journey to New Zealand and Antarctica).
In formulating their theories, the four men, who were contemporaries in Victorian Britain, would draw upon and challenge the ideas of Thomas Malthus, Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, and Charles Lyell, as well as be influenced by the social and political context of the ongoing industrial revolution.
During their sea voyages the men made various observations around a set of themes:
a) Different species of fauna/flora, insects, animals existed in geographic patterns which seemed to defy the distribution explained by a theory of creationism (or 'centres' of creation).
b) Life forms developed adaptations which made them fit for their indigenous environments. Though as new specific could assimilate or even out-compete native species, this challenged the idea that species were expressly "created" for certain environments.
From these themes came the tenets of the theory of evolution and natural selection (mostly based on the work of Darwin and Wallace, though socialized with the advocacy of Huxley and Hooker):
1) Instead of being fixed and immutable, species developed/evolved over time
2) Species are capable of diverging from a common ancestor through a series of permanent variations
3) These variations appear by "chance" and are selected for fitness
The book also goes into some detail about the intellectual climate of the age, one in which science was increasingly becoming a profession as opposed to a hobby indulged by the privileged, and the resulting tensions from pushing the philosophical implications of the theory (evolution vs. creationism) for society.
The wide and far reaching influences of the original naturalist thinkers is also the topic of The Invention of Nature: Alexander Von Humboldt's New World by Andrea Wulf. Von Humboldt, whose works directly inspired Darwin, aptly articulated the wonders of nature which still hold us in awe today: "In this great chain of causes and effects, no single fact can be considered in isolation".
In formulating their theories, the four men, who were contemporaries in Victorian Britain, would draw upon and challenge the ideas of Thomas Malthus, Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, and Charles Lyell, as well as be influenced by the social and political context of the ongoing industrial revolution.
During their sea voyages the men made various observations around a set of themes:
a) Different species of fauna/flora, insects, animals existed in geographic patterns which seemed to defy the distribution explained by a theory of creationism (or 'centres' of creation).
b) Life forms developed adaptations which made them fit for their indigenous environments. Though as new specific could assimilate or even out-compete native species, this challenged the idea that species were expressly "created" for certain environments.
From these themes came the tenets of the theory of evolution and natural selection (mostly based on the work of Darwin and Wallace, though socialized with the advocacy of Huxley and Hooker):
1) Instead of being fixed and immutable, species developed/evolved over time
2) Species are capable of diverging from a common ancestor through a series of permanent variations
3) These variations appear by "chance" and are selected for fitness
The book also goes into some detail about the intellectual climate of the age, one in which science was increasingly becoming a profession as opposed to a hobby indulged by the privileged, and the resulting tensions from pushing the philosophical implications of the theory (evolution vs. creationism) for society.
The wide and far reaching influences of the original naturalist thinkers is also the topic of The Invention of Nature: Alexander Von Humboldt's New World by Andrea Wulf. Von Humboldt, whose works directly inspired Darwin, aptly articulated the wonders of nature which still hold us in awe today: "In this great chain of causes and effects, no single fact can be considered in isolation".
February 21, 2017
A marvelous tour de force of the lives and travels and scientific contributions of four great English biologist-adventurers, inspired by their German role model, Alexander von Humboldt.
The four are Charles Darwin, Joseph Hooker, Thomas Huxley and Alfred Russel Wallace. All of them took risky voyages across the sea, to places that scientists had rarely visited before, saw Life in mind-boggling variety with astute eyes, formed who new theories and massive collections of specimens, and changed biology dramatically with their ideas. Darwin of course is most famous, but the man who co-discovered evolution, Wallace, is given his proper place in this narrative, which is rare in any book on biology.
Hooker, a botanist who introduced rubber plantations to Asia, and was the only one of the four, who visited India, and was among Darwin's best friends, stars in his own right and light. His adventures all the way to Antarctica and his unsual expeditions into isolated Pacific islands.
Huxley, the microbiologist, philosopher and essayist, popularly called Darwin's Bulldog in his later years, is a pioneer whose biology is emphasised over his social and political activities. He also coined the word agnostic.
The whole theme of the book is that these four sailed separately, but formed an Armada, not just as sailors across oceans but across the unexplored seas of Biology, laying ground for the Emergence and Defence of a theory that shook the foundations of not just Science but also Religion and Society.
Of Wallace, I have written briefly in my blog, which is partly named after him -
The four are Charles Darwin, Joseph Hooker, Thomas Huxley and Alfred Russel Wallace. All of them took risky voyages across the sea, to places that scientists had rarely visited before, saw Life in mind-boggling variety with astute eyes, formed who new theories and massive collections of specimens, and changed biology dramatically with their ideas. Darwin of course is most famous, but the man who co-discovered evolution, Wallace, is given his proper place in this narrative, which is rare in any book on biology.
Hooker, a botanist who introduced rubber plantations to Asia, and was the only one of the four, who visited India, and was among Darwin's best friends, stars in his own right and light. His adventures all the way to Antarctica and his unsual expeditions into isolated Pacific islands.
Huxley, the microbiologist, philosopher and essayist, popularly called Darwin's Bulldog in his later years, is a pioneer whose biology is emphasised over his social and political activities. He also coined the word agnostic.
The whole theme of the book is that these four sailed separately, but formed an Armada, not just as sailors across oceans but across the unexplored seas of Biology, laying ground for the Emergence and Defence of a theory that shook the foundations of not just Science but also Religion and Society.
Of Wallace, I have written briefly in my blog, which is partly named after him -
February 24, 2022
The origin of the Origin of Species. Does a good job of making a bunch of history of science engaging and readable. Starts out with Darwin and the voyage of the Beagle. Darwin's experiences and observations and his steps towards his grand theory. But makes it very personal. Did you know that in thousands of miles of travel in wooden sailing ships, Darwin suffered from miserable seasickness the whole time?
It is hero story full of quests and magic and derring do. It was an age when amateurs with no degrees and no formal training could teach themselves whatever they needed to know by reading in libraries. Then by sheer force of will, fearlessness, and willingness/ ability to withstand the most amazing privations for years at a time, they could produce cutting edge science that would be known for centuries.
After the stories of the voyages and the heroics, comes the story of the war to gain acceptance of evolution and survival of the fittest as how the biological world around us came to be. This was a well plotted, intentional struggle against the forces of rigid credal religion and science denial. It seemed like the battle was won in the late 1800's. Then it seemed like it was won again in 1925 with the Scopes Monkey Trial. Yey here we are a century later, living in this incredibly advanced technological future, and science denial and Know Nothingism are more rampant than ever.
It was interesting, though. Alfred Wallace who actually came up with all the main points of evolutionary theory independently, on his own, was the least well educated of the four heroes (Darwin, Joseph Hooker, Thomas Huxley, and Alfred Wallace). He came from the poorest background and always felt a bit inferior because of it. So he was the biggest defender of the opinions of amateurs being just as good as the opinions of professional scientists. So he alone of the four got very caught up in the various pseudo scientific crazes of the time: phrenology, mesmerism, spiritualism (which had nothing to do with spirituality, but was about receiving messages from ghosts and seances). If it were now, it would be ivermectin and anti-vaxx.
And though the book does not play it up a lot, you can clearly see the workings of white supremacy, manifest destiny, white men as the crown of Creation (that Creation they were working to discredit). They constantly see themselves as superior to all the native peoples they voyage with and even live amongst. At one point one of them muses about the beauty and richness of the natural world surrounding him and how sad it is that all those civilized people back home can't see it. He understands that if they could all come, that wilderness would be destroyed. But he sees it as a great tragedy, because only they, the civilized, could really appreciate it all.
And they feel perfectly justified in taking thousands and thousands of specimens of plants and animals, to increase (white people's) understanding of them. Even on one trip they kill and skin sixteen orangutans, even though they are aware that these beautiful animals so closely related to humans, exist only on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra and are vulnerable to being wiped out.
Gives you a lot to think about!
It is hero story full of quests and magic and derring do. It was an age when amateurs with no degrees and no formal training could teach themselves whatever they needed to know by reading in libraries. Then by sheer force of will, fearlessness, and willingness/ ability to withstand the most amazing privations for years at a time, they could produce cutting edge science that would be known for centuries.
After the stories of the voyages and the heroics, comes the story of the war to gain acceptance of evolution and survival of the fittest as how the biological world around us came to be. This was a well plotted, intentional struggle against the forces of rigid credal religion and science denial. It seemed like the battle was won in the late 1800's. Then it seemed like it was won again in 1925 with the Scopes Monkey Trial. Yey here we are a century later, living in this incredibly advanced technological future, and science denial and Know Nothingism are more rampant than ever.
It was interesting, though. Alfred Wallace who actually came up with all the main points of evolutionary theory independently, on his own, was the least well educated of the four heroes (Darwin, Joseph Hooker, Thomas Huxley, and Alfred Wallace). He came from the poorest background and always felt a bit inferior because of it. So he was the biggest defender of the opinions of amateurs being just as good as the opinions of professional scientists. So he alone of the four got very caught up in the various pseudo scientific crazes of the time: phrenology, mesmerism, spiritualism (which had nothing to do with spirituality, but was about receiving messages from ghosts and seances). If it were now, it would be ivermectin and anti-vaxx.
And though the book does not play it up a lot, you can clearly see the workings of white supremacy, manifest destiny, white men as the crown of Creation (that Creation they were working to discredit). They constantly see themselves as superior to all the native peoples they voyage with and even live amongst. At one point one of them muses about the beauty and richness of the natural world surrounding him and how sad it is that all those civilized people back home can't see it. He understands that if they could all come, that wilderness would be destroyed. But he sees it as a great tragedy, because only they, the civilized, could really appreciate it all.
And they feel perfectly justified in taking thousands and thousands of specimens of plants and animals, to increase (white people's) understanding of them. Even on one trip they kill and skin sixteen orangutans, even though they are aware that these beautiful animals so closely related to humans, exist only on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra and are vulnerable to being wiped out.
Gives you a lot to think about!
January 15, 2023
McCalman has constructed a novel approach to discussing the establishment of Darwin's theory of evolution by centering on four men, all who took long sea voyages as young naturalists. This allows him not only to talk about Darwin and his five year trip on the Beagle but also the botanist Joseph Hooker on his four year trip around Antarctica, Thomas Huxley on his four year voyage to Australia, and Alfred Wallace on his 18 year collecting along the Amazon River and the islands of Southeast Asia. Wallace is the co-discoverer of the theory of evolution by natural selection, and Hooker and Huxley fought for the publication and the acceptance of the theory. Altogether the book is very engaging and informative. It is especially good on explaining the roles and interactions of Darwin and Wallace.
April 28, 2023
Superbly researched! And for me this cleared up the confusing relationship between Alfred Russell Wallace and Darwin. For most of my 63 years I'd heard rumors and suggestions of how Wallace may have been bullied and somehow shut-out, and McCalman clarifies all. Darwin and Wallace were on the same page the entire time and were good friends for the rest of their lives. Any of the ugly rumors most likely came from the Owenites or the ways that Huxley and Hooker handled the reading of both Darwin's and Wallace's papers at the Linnean Society on July 1, 1858.
This was a great read about the struggle of young scientists to overcome the arrogance and close-mindedness of the older British scientists who were connected to the Anglican Church. This was the first battle between science and religion--a battle which we've seen is still being fought in the United States today.
This was a great read about the struggle of young scientists to overcome the arrogance and close-mindedness of the older British scientists who were connected to the Anglican Church. This was the first battle between science and religion--a battle which we've seen is still being fought in the United States today.
April 22, 2021
Anyone interested in 17th Century history, travel, the theory of Evolution, religion, and important neglected figures in biology should read this book. The stories took you around the world illustrating the stresses of colonial travel, studying plants and animals and cultures, ancient beliefs and the like. What fascinates me most is how people today are still often behind the thinking of people from 150-200 years ago. America in particular is resistant to science and holds on to ancient religious superstitions. Darwin was not alone in his theories. Most scientists of the time also believed in an evolutionary theory, but there was much fear in being the first to cross the religious-biological chasm.
July 18, 2022
We've all heard of Darwin, but I cannot recall ever reading anything about Joseph Hooker, Thomas Huxley or Alfred Wallace. And it's surprising to learn that Darwin was afraid that Wallace would have his theory announced before Darwin had sufficient material to publish his own theory of evolution. It's funny to think that two men could discover, essentially, the same thing at roughly the same time while on similar journeys. And the four voyages recounted in this book are all equally fascinating to me as they most certainly were to the budding naturalists who embarked on them. I suppose the thrill of an adventure rests in the minds of men today as it did in every generation before. An exceptionally well written book of science, adventure, and the birth of a theory.
December 9, 2020
A well researched and we written story about how the first ideas of evolution and natural selection were really a collaboration of 4 folks and not the singular work of Charles Darwin as my history lessons to date have suggested. Some of the greatest collections of birds, mammals,insects and plants were made by these British fellas in the mid to late 1800's.
December 17, 2020
Iain McCalman passionately communicated the research of Charles Darwin to the common person. In the book, he opened my eyes to the research beyond what I knew of him, such as the finches or his research on Galapagos tortises. McCalman opened my eyes to a world of geology and how it influenced the theory of evolution.
February 20, 2020
Dnf at just under 100 pages. The writing is very dry, but was worth dealing with when the text was about Darwin. Most of this book turns out not to be about him though, & I am just uninterested. T. Huxley's section I'd have read if the writing had been more engaging.
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