More than Darwin: An Encyclopedia of the People and Places of the Evolution-Creationism Controversy

From the Publisher

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Midwest Book Review

"This book provides an accessible and balanced synopsis of every major person, organization, and place involved in the long and controversial history of the evolution-creationism question. It is a major source of information on the subject, covering the entire range of topics in the history of the debate….The 500-plus entries are mostly short (averaging 800 to 1000 words in length), are easy to comprehend, and often include lists of recommended readings for a more in-depth study. This accessible resource is a great tool for anyone looking for short and concise background on the evolution-creationism controversy. Recommended for all public and high school libraries."

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Library Journal

"The vast majority of these nearly 500 entries cover individuals, but they also include organizations, locations, and important court cases. Articles range in length from a few sentences to several pages, and about a quarter of them list further reading (usually one popular literature citation."

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School Library Journal

"As accessible as they are authoritative, each entry in this single-volume encyclopedia offers clear explications of the many people, places, and events that have played a role in the continuing debate over the origins of life on Earth….[S]tudents looking for concise background information on a wide variety of participants in the ongoing, lively debate will not be disappointed."

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VOYA

"Advocates for either side range from scientists and theologians to educators and politicians. Arguments range from clear, fact-based presentations to the passionate defense of the authority of religious dogma. To help sort this out, Moore and Decker (both, Univ. of Minnesota) have compiled hundreds of entries and essays describing the lives, circumstances, contributions, locations, and social conditions for many of the major individuals and places associated with this ongoing controversy….Many of the articles in this interesting reference work provide up-to-date sources of additional information on the subject, and an extensive bibliography on the controversy is included as an appendix. The index is excellent—it brings in many people and contributions that could not be included as seperate entries but are mentioned in the text."

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Choice

"More than Darwin is an encyclopedic, fresh approach to the evolution-creationism literature because it is not about taking sides. It is intended as a compendium of people, places, events, and famous quotes that are the history of the controversy. Moore and Decker include 500 entries, and 82 illustrations….Additionally the book includes three useful follow-up tools that provide interested readers with next steps….Moore and Decker intended to provide a concise summary and overview about the who's, what's, and where's of the controversy, not to describe or evaluate the controversy, per se. They have achieved that goal, providing a book that will undoubtedly become heavily dog-eared on the bookshelves of evolutionists and creationists."

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American Paleontologist

"Considering the controversy surrounding evolution and creationism over the last century and a half, and its role in the modern-day curriculum, the publication of this volume is timely. The audience is students and adults who need to be more informed about the issues. School-board members who may be voting on a local ordinance come to mind immediately. Entries cover both sides of the controversy and inlcude people, places, and events….A good complement to reference sources on evolution, More than Darwin adds to the growing documentation of the evolution-creationism controversy. Recommended for most libraries."

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Booklist

"[A] useful reference for those with a special interest in all things involving the evolution-creationism debate."

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SB&F

"This is a book that will appeal to those with a particular unterest in the field and to the general reader, who, like myself, will probably wile away many hours browsing through these sometimes quirky but always intriguing entries."

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Catholic Library World

"Unusually for a reference book this work is a fascinating historical insight into the personalities and debates of creationism vs evolution in the USA. Anyone with even a passing interest in the subject would gain much from a perusal or more through examination. As a whole the work is readily accessible to those unfamiliar with the aspects and concepts covered. This book would be a suitable purchase for scholarly or public libraries alike seeking to augment their evolution,

theological or sociological collections with an intelligent and well written work."

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Reference Reviews

"It is a marvelous trove for the curious browser, who will be constantly tempted to pull the book off the shelf to read a random entry and discover a new fact or two."

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Reports of the National Center for Science Education

"Meet the players, large and small, from Darwin's assistent on the Beagle, Syms Covington, to Michael Behe, the Lehigh University professor who currently champions the cause of Intelligent Design. Extensive, alphabetically arranged, and fair and balanced in reportage, this is a useful reference tool."

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School Library Journal

"Although there are many books that discuss the theories of evolution and creationism, this 415-page encyclopedia is unique in emphasizing the people and places that have played an important role in the evolution-creationism debate over the years. . . . Entries are well written, descriptive, and take an objective tone. . . . Overall, this book meets its stated goals and is recommended for a general audience through first-year college students."

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ARBA

"This book is a balanced look at the players in this 150-year-old debate, written to be accessible to readers from high school on. Although it is a reference book, it is surprisingly interesting as a general primer on the topic, leading the reader easily from entry to entry. …Highly recommended for public and high school libraries; also useful for undergraduates approaching these topics for the first time."

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Reference & User Services Quarterly

"… not only a valuable reference, but also an engaging source of intellectual entertainment of the sort that can be picked through whenever the compulsion may strike."

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Science & Education

VOYA - Sophie Brookover

Library Journal

This book provides an accessible and balanced synopsis of every major person, organization, and place involved in the long and controversial history of the evolution-creationism question. It is a major source of information on the subject, covering the entire range of topics in the history of the debate. Moore, who has been the editor of American Biology Teacher for more than 20 years, and Decker, who holds a Ph.D. in conservation biology, discuss and describe evolution and creationism in terms of the peoples and places that created and influenced the controversy. The authors neither condemn nor support the scientific or religious sides of the spectrum; instead, their main goal is simply to present an objective and accurate description of the debate and the major players involved with it. The 500-plus entries are mostly short (averaging 800 to 1000 words in length), are easy to comprehend, and often include lists of recommended readings for a more in-depth study.
—Luis J. Gonzalez

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up

The vast majority of these nearly 500 entries cover individuals, but they also include organizations, locations, and important court cases. Articles range in length from a few sentences to several pages, and about a quarter of them list further reading (usually one popular literature citation). The authors are carefully neutral. However, Charles Darwin and the Scopes Trial are overemphasized, with every person and place even remotely connected to them noted. The book is surprisingly unprofessional. There are neither cross-references nor a glossary. Evolution and creationism are never defined; while much of the material is accessible to high school students, the authors at times assume a college-level scientific and religious background. This results in some difficult, unexplained vocabulary ("biblical flat-Earthism," "Young-Earth creationism," "pangenesis"). Many articles omit key facts or are tantalizingly incomplete. Human-interest material abounds, including awards and prizes, marriage(s), children, and burial places, while scientific relevance is underplayed. Minor individuals get a limited snapshot relating to evolution or creationism; the entry on Sinclair Lewis, for example, only mentions his novel Elmer Gantry . Major players receive more comprehensive biographies, which plunge into their lives without concisely identifying their significance, and lack summaries. There are scattered black-and-white illustrations. The preface mentions the publisher's related Web site without indicating its address. Finally, the index oddly includes quotations, many under "A," "An," or "The," as are book titles. Stanley A. Rice's Encyclopedia of Evolution (Facts On File,2006) provides more complete coverage. Nothing similar is available on creationism.-Ann W. Moore, Schenectady County Public Library, NY