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Evolutionary Writings

including the Autobiographies

Charles Darwin
Edited by James A. Secord

Oxford World's Classics

This unique anthology brings together a collection of Darwin's most accessible and significant writings to give the best fully rounded picture of his ideas in a single volume.
Features the key chapters from Darwin's most important books: the Journal of Researches; On the Origin of the Species; The Descent of Man; and the complete text of his autobiography.
Includes extracts from Darwin's contemporary readers from across the world to give a sense of the controversial nature of his ideas, a sense of the issues they raised, and the extraordinary range of responses across the political, religious, and scientific spectrum.
Authoritative introduction placing Darwin in both his local and global context by distinguished scholar James A. Secord.
Includes a map of the Beagle voyage, a biographical index identifying every individual mentioned in the texts, illustrations from the Journal of Researches, and a general index.
Includes the full, authoritative text of Darwin's fascinating Recollections (his autobiography), edited to a consistent standard for the first time.

Evolutionary Writings

including the Autobiographies

Charles Darwin
Edited by James A. Secord

Description

'Man still bears in his bodily frame the indelible stamp of his lowly origin'

On topics ranging from intelligent design and climate change to the politics of gender and race, the evolutionary writings of Charles Darwin occupy a pivotal position in contemporary public debate. This volume 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 (1871), and the Descent of Man, along with the full text of his delightful autobiography. They are accompanied by generous selections of responses from Darwin's nineteenth-century readers from across the world. More than anything, they give a keen sense of the controversial nature of Darwin's ideas, and his position within Victorian debates about man's place in nature.

The wide-ranging introduction by James A. 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.
ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Evolutionary Writings

including the Autobiographies

Charles Darwin
Edited by James A. Secord

Oxford World's Classics

Journal of Researches
Map of the Beagle voyage
Journal of Researches
Reviews and Responses
Origin of Species
On the Origin of Species
Reviews and Responses
Descent of Man
The Descent of Man
Reviews and Responses
Autobiographies
Life (1838)
Recollections of the Development of My Mind and Character (1876-81)
The Making of a Celebrity

Evolutionary Writings

including the Autobiographies

Charles Darwin
Edited by James A. Secord

Oxford World's Classics

Author Information

Charles Darwin

Edited by James A. Secord, Professor of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Cambridge, and Director of the Darwin Correspondence Project

Evolutionary Writings

including the Autobiographies

Charles Darwin
Edited by James A. Secord

Oxford World's Classics

Reviews and Awards

"Perceptive introduction." - The Guardian

Evolutionary Writings

including the Autobiographies

Charles Darwin
Edited by James A. Secord

Oxford World's Classics

Audio Guide

On topics ranging from intelligent design and climate change to the politics of gender and race, the evolutionary writings of Charles Darwin occupy a pivotal position in contemporary public debate.

This volume 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 nineteenth-century readers from across the world. More than anything, they give a keen sense of the controversial nature of Darwin's ideas, and his position within Victorian debates about man's place in nature.

Click on the links in this audio guide, to hear the editor of the anthology, James A. Secord, Director of the Darwin Correspondence Project, introduce Darwin's life and work - and its enduring impact two hundred years after his birth.

From beginnings to The Voyage of the Beagle

Charles Darwin was a far-from-outstanding schoolboy and his father worried about his future. He did however have an early and profound interest in the natural world.
Hear more about Darwin's early life. [2:04]
Darwin's participation in the voyage of the Beagle was a defining event in his life.

Hear about the purpose of Darwin's voyage and how it shaped his later ideas. [4:00]
What sort of book is The Voyage of the Beagle and what impact did it have in Victorian England?

Are there already hints of Darwin's later theory of evolution? [1:34]

World of Science

Some of the ideas that Darwin became interested in fell outside the sphere of respectable ideas for a Victorian man of science.

Hear more about his secret notebooks [0:58]
Darwin entered the world of science at a time of huge ferment. In fact, the world "scientist" dates only from 1833, two years after Darwin set off on the Beagle voyage.

Hear more about that changing world [1:31]

The Origin of Species

How did Darwin decide on the best way to present the theory of evolution to the public?

Jim Secord explains the origins of the Origin [3:35]
Who read Darwin's Origin of Species and how was it received? Jim Secord’s anthology represents a wide range of contemporary reactions to Darwin.

Learn more about these reactions [3:07]

The Descent of Man & and the ascent of Charles Darwin

The origin of man is not tackled head-on in The Origin of Species. For tactical reasons, that would have to wait until 1871, when Darwin published The Descent of Man.

Jim Secord introduces The Descent of Man [1:56]
Photos and sculptures of Darwin in later life give him the aura of a saint or a sage.

How aware was he of his self-image and what sort of recollections did he leave in his autobiography? [3:35]
What's the idea behind Charles Darwin: Evolutionary Writings and where is the best place to start exploring Darwin's writing?

Jim Secord makes some suggestions [1:43]