THE RELUCTANT MR. DARWIN An Intimate Portrait of Charles Darwin and the Making of His Theory of Evolution

Why did Charles Darwin, hitting upon the idea of natural selection in 1838, wait 21 years to present his startling discovery? Was he shy? Was the idea not ready for public scrutiny? Or was he himself spiritually troubled by it? Quammen, understandably perplexed by this caution, examines the great man’s life, following the growth of his ideas to hypothesize why he delayed publication. Grover Gardner’s reading pulses with the excitement of Quammen’s quest. As the author sifts through Darwin’s developing insights and personality quirks, including anxiety and compulsive vomiting, Gardner is perfectly alert to the author’s subtle irony and humor, which Quammen could hardly avoid. Portraying Darwin respectfully and fully aware of his stature, Quammen never loses sight of the Victorian roots that troubled Darwin all his life. P.E.F. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 06/ JAN 07]