On topics ranging from intelligent design and climate change to the politics of gender and race, the evolutionary writings of Charles Darwin from a century and a half ago occupy a pivotal position in contemporary public debate. This anthology brings together the key chapters of his most important and accessible books, including the Journal of Researches on the Beagle Voyage (1845), The Origin of Species (1859), and The Descent of Man (1871), along with the full text of his delightful autobiography. They are accompanied by generous selections of responses from Darwin's 19th-century readers from around the world. The Introduction by James Secord, Director of the Darwin Correspondence Project, explores the global impact and origins of Darwin's work and the reasons for its unparalleled significance today.
"This is a handsome volume that will repay repeated consultations as a valuable reference, and as an insight into the thought and motivations of a remarkable scientist."—Quarterly Review of Biology
