Darwin's Armada: Four Voyages and the Battle for the Theory of Evolution

An excellent adventure -- you must join up!

This book recounts the important voyages which shaped Joseph Hooker, Thomas Huxley, and Alfred Wallace and subsequently how these men became important champions of Darwin's theory of organic evolution. McCalman writes well summarizing the historical details and experiences that shaped their lives and thoughts and ultimately brought them into deep friendship. A book not to be put down until the whole is read. Highly recommended.

provides context and adds human interest

Professor McCalman fills out the portrait of Darwin by exploring the voyages of discovery undertaken by the great man's "lieutenants." While Hooker, Huxley and Wallace were first-rate scientists in their own right, history remembers them primarily as defenders of Darwin's theory of natural selection. The personalities of each man emerge in McCalman's thoughtful and appreciative treatment. While Darwin indeed directed the post-1860 assault on the bastion of creationism, he served as a director of this fine group, not as a dictator. The reader is left with a more fulsome and nuanced picture of Darwin, as well as, new insight into the cultural and political aspects of science.

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