05/29/2017
Charles Darwin is best known as a great theorizer of ideas on the origin of species, human evolution, and a wealth of other topics that have stood the test of time, but Costa (Wallace, Darwin, and the Origin of Species), professor of biology at Western Carolina University, demonstrates that he was an equally remarkable experimentalist. Costa combs through Darwin’s notebooks and letters as well as biographies of him to present an impressive array of experiments that Darwin conducted (each chapter concludes with experiment instructions for readers). According to Costa, whether Darwin was working to elucidate the phylogeny and reproductive biology of barnacles, the construction of beehives, the nature of plant pollination, or the biology of earthworms, his “mind was always churning, turning out remarkable insights from the grist of simple observations.” In every case, Darwin was collecting data to support his broad evolutionary ideas and to “solidify evolutionary vision of a truly universal Tree of Life.” Costa also uses Darwin’s experimental work to make a broader point about the methodology of science and the importance of data relative to opinion. Costa nicely explains what Darwin discovered, discussing those rare cases where he got something wrong and using the findings of modern science to extend Darwin’s conclusions. (Sept.)

"A passionate but balanced celebration of [Darwin’s] lifelong obsession with enquiry and how the fields and meadows around his home were a microcosm of the wider world. . . . Costa more than achieves his stated goals of revealing the evolution of Darwin’s insights and the relevance of his methods now."

"A really interesting read about a really important character."

"A charming book about Darwin’s homespun experiments."

"[Costa] has done something very important with this new book: He has brought Darwin fully to life. . . . Costa has written an intimate and big-hearted book. In its pages, readers will discover the real Darwin, a complicated man behind a revolutionary theory."

"An unusual look at the daily creative life of a great scientist, with opportunities to dig in and observe the workings of nature first hand using methods very similar to his own."

"Entertaining."

"Readers will enjoy the tales Costa tells and the experience of re-creating some of the famous naturalist’s most enlightening work."

"This book gives us a whole new perspective on both the man himself and on the way he did his science. We’re accustomed to thinking of the Darwin of those lugubrious late life portraits, apparently weighed down by the heretical burdens of his theories, but Costa gives us instead a man of almost childish curiosity whose playful approach to science is as contagious as it is engaging.… If we were to force Darwin to choose a favorite from among the hundreds of books written about him, my money is on him choosing this one. The real Darwin can be found pottering in his backyard."

"So much more than a biography.… Devoted scientists, neighborhood naturalists, and Darwin devotees will all find inspiration within these pages.… [Darwin’s Backyard] is accessible and fun."

"If you think that evolution is ‘just a theory,’ without a firm background in the real world—read this book and learn. If you’ve never met Darwin as worm whisperer, seed sorcerer, honeybee helper and lots more, read this book and savor the encounter. If you simply love science and how it works—and are ready for some creative projects you can do yourself—read this book and get ready to fall in love even more!"

"The immense library available on Darwin’s life and contributions may seem exhaustive. James T. Costa, writing only as a modern naturalist of the first rank can, shows us how drastically wrong that perception has been. If you’ve ever fantasized walking and conversing with the great scientist on the subjects that consumed him, and now wish to add the fullness of reality, read this book."

06/15/2017
Most readers will be surprised to learn of the incredible amount of field research, observation, and experimentation that Charles Darwin did in the many years after his famous voyage. Costa (biology, Western Carolina Univ.; Wallace, Darwin, and the Origin of Species) argues that those experiments are not only foundational but also educational: they explain evolution better than any classroom lecture. To that end, each chapter focuses on a different obsession of Darwin's, from orchids to seed migration, and is followed by an experiment that demonstrates a principle of evolution. These examples are of the quick and simple variety, and a well-equipped high school science class could perform them easily. Costa's secondary goal is to place Darwin in the context of his family and friends, many of whom he deputized to help with his observations; in this, the author is less successful. Although there are frequent mentions of Darwin's children, only rarely do their own voices or inclinations shine through. VERDICT For students or teachers of biology or for readers looking for another side of Darwin.—Cate Hirschbiel, Iwasaki Lib., Emerson Coll., Boston

2017-06-13
An instructive and entertaining look at Darwin's "experimentising" and how it can be readily duplicated using mostly simple household tools.Costa (Biology/Western Carolina Univ.; Wallace, Darwin, and the Origin of Species, 2014, etc.), the executive director of the Highlands Biological Station, presents not just a how-to, but also a profile of Darwin in his time and place as he connected with other scientists and relied on them and on friends and family for assistance in his fieldwork. Darwin's enormous curiosity about how nature works and how adaptations arise from natural selection led him to constantly examine his surroundings with a careful eye. Costa shows him investigating the anatomy of barnacles, honeycombs of bees, dispersion of seeds, reproduction techniques of orchids, behavior of carnivorous plants, twisting of vines, and earth-moving capacity of worms. Occasionally, Darwin called on other naturalists for help in gathering specimens, and he relied on the labor of his own children, who apparently were enthusiastic assistants. In each chapter, Costa describes a specific area of Darwin's work and includes a materials list and a step-by-step procedure that demonstrates how to set up a related experiment, what to look for, and how to record one's observations—in other words, how to think like a scientist. What makes this more than a textbook is the full portrait of Darwin that emerges. We see him as an inquisitive youngster; a beetle-collecting college student; a hardworking naturalist who endured seasickness and other obstacles during his years on the Beagle; a husband and family man, enduring the illnesses and deaths of three of his children; and always as a man consumed with curiosity about the natural world and finding many of the answers in his own backyard. While casual readers may not be tempted to perform the experiments, the insights Costa provides into Darwin's thinking and his revelations about the great man's working life make this a worthwhile read. A perfect resource for biology teachers.