by Jonathan Miller, Illustrated
/ designed by Borin Van Loon
"The
best introduction to Darwinism you can buy." (See Reviews section
below)
The first
"big one" after I had won my spurs with
Capitalism for
Beginners in 1981. Working with Jonathan Miller, thespian, director,
writer,
biologist and all-round good egg, proved difficult at times, only
because
he was always taken up with "lighting Rigoletto" at the Royal
Opera House or making a television series on the human body. Apart from
the book on Buddha - someone who left little trace of his actual life -
this is the only "biographical" book in this series on which I
have worked. Darwin proves to be an oddly likeable but contradictory
character.
As a young man he was a wastrel: hobnobbing with the gentry, shooting,
gambling
and drinking his time away. Later, plagued by anxiety, nausea and
headaches,
he became a virtual recluse while developing his revolutionary theory
of
Evolution. He even delayed the publication of his monumental work The
Origin
of Species for some years in the fear of its repercussions on
conservative
Victorian siciety. He was proved right in the reactions when it did
finally
see the light of day. In many ways Darwin stands shoulder to shoulder
with
those other revolutionary thinkers of the era: Marx and Freud. A large
format
hardback of the book with colour plates was also published in the
original
series. This title is a bit of a classic, even though I say so myself.
Darwin
(suffering) awaits departure of The
Beagle
overlooking
Cat
Sound, Plymouth. The original colour hardback
cover
Reviews
In this fresh
approach to the history of Charles Darwin, the authors present
biographical, social and historical facts about Darwin’s life and
theory in the fashion of a graphic novel. Clearly written as an
introduction to the topic, this book does not give the depth or detail
of more lengthy books on the subject. However, with its novel
presentation, it is a superb book for audiences curious about the man
who kicked off one of civilization’s biggest controversies. http://libweb.sonoma.edu/research/subject/annotated.html
...
this graphical book takes a look at the life of
one of the most
controversial
people in science: Charles Darwin.
The story paints the life of a man with many facets: a shy person who,
in
his early life spent much of his time wandering and collecting
specimens
to the detriment of his studies in medicine and religion. In his later
years,
when ill health forced him to stay at home much of the time, the book
shows
him as a man who gives attention to meticulous detail. His life (and
science)
was changed when he accepted a post on board HMS Beagle, on which he
was
to collect a lot of evidence that was to persuade him that evolution
was
happening and that Natural Selection was the method nature used to
drive
evolution.
The book makes clear that the idea of evolution was not Darwin's to
begin
with: Lamark and others also considered evolution. What Darwin did was
to
present a mechanism with supporting evidence that was logical and could
be scientifically tested. Of course, there were many objections raised
against
Darwin and the book covers these objections also (especially Paley's
'argument
from design').
Nicely written in a easily readable manner, this book serves as a
useful
introduction to both Charles Darwin the man, Charles Darwin the
scientist
and Charles Darwin the man who presented an incredible theory on how
life
developed and evolved on earth and who is still being argued about even
now. The drawings, as in many books in the same series are sometimes
funny
and sometimes 'off-colour' but they help to put the point across that
would
have taken many words and many pages to say. (Book Reviews by Soh Kam
Yung)
For a rapid, amusing and
accurate guide to the Darwinian revolution,
there is nothing better than: Jonathan Miller & Borin Van Loon,
Darwin
For Beginners (Icon Books, 1992). With cartoon illustrations.
(www.ehlt.flinders.edu.au
"The Impact of Evolution: Darwinism and Victorian Writers")
A short, entertaining cartoon
introduction to Darwin's life and
work.
Don't be fooled by the cartoon
format. It presents a lot of
accurate,
stimulating information in a compact, readable form. (A Galapagos
Reading
List)
A very good introduction to
Darwinism and evolution. Tells
the
story
of belief before Darwin and the controversy after. One criticism though
is that it omits to tell the story of how Darwin's daughter died and
how
ultimately it made him lose faith in Christianity. But a very good book
for the beginner, nonetheless. (putt-tuffery@lineone.net from
London,England)
Accurate, clever, well done.
This lively, clever, humorous
little
book is accurate -- "scientifically correct," in the words of
Dr. Tim M. Berra of Ohio State University (author of "Evolution and
the Myth of Creationism," 1990, Stanford University Press). I agree
with him that it would be a great gift for students to give to their
parents
to help them understand evolution. The illustrations, many of which are
worth a thousand words, are at once engaging, informative, and great
fun.
Solid history and science in superlative format. (Craig H. Bowenfrom
Salt Lake City, UT USA)
The
best introduction to
Darwinism you can buy. An
illustrated
narrative
tells, all too briefly, the story of Darwin the man and his
revolutionary
discovery of how the living world came to be. Thanks to its amusing,
but
informative, cartoon style exegesis, this little gem is a uniquely
powerful
antidote to creationist propaganda in the classroom. The best
introduction
to Darwin and his ideas you're likely to see. (Peter Hynes
(elek@netstra.com.au)from Melbourne, Australia)
Fatuous and grossly inaccurate.
It is a great shame the authors
ruined
such a good idea by doing no historical research. It is quite clear
that
the authors are ignorant of the wealth of research produced by the
Darwin
industry and of course the Correspondence of Charles Darwin. I could
spend
a long time doing a hatchet job on the book but I prefer to spend my
time
going to Snowdonia and walk over the mountains where Darwin did his
geology
and read his geological notes where he wrote them. In all a silly book
on
a great scientist.. We desperately need a good simple book on Darwin,
which
avoids all the hype and inaccuracy. (A readerfrom Chirk,
N.Wales)
(Keep walking those mountains,
my friend. - The Illustrator)
Simple
and Informative Primer on Darwin and Evolution.
No-nonsense
discussion on the Theory of Evolution, including a look at the people,
places,
and events that shaped its derivation. It provides a concise summary of
Charles Darwin, the man and the scientist, including the dispelling of
myths
concerning his alleged anti-religious bent. The book is an easy read,
yet
is packed with factoids and information that provides an essential
basis
for evolutionary thought. While the book cover gives an appearance of
child
literature, young and old will find it enlightening and
helpful.(koller@freethinker.orgfrom Germantown, Maryland USA)
The cartoon guide to evolution.
Have fun and learn. (by Gert
Korthof
- http://home.planet.nl/~gkorthof/korthof54.htm)
For adult readers this
presentation may take some getting used to,
but this very method is one which will attract YAs. The book is not
without
its own prejudices and opinions. Yet, the observant student or teacher
can
use these as points of discussion. This unusual volume would be an
excellent
supplementary source to a high school biology or natural history
course.
Voice of Youth Advocates. (http://search.barnesandnoble.com)
To
understand Darwinism
simultaneously as a social
phenomenon
arising out of the remaking of the British social structure and as an
extraordinary
insight into the operation of natural forces, requires considerable
knowledge
and subtlety of mind. To explain all that clearly, correctly, wittily,
but
without condescension, to a lay public demands a high expository art. .
. . [This book] puts all the emphasis in the right place, is
historically
correct, scientifically impeccable, and contains as a postscript the
best
250-word piece on reductionist social explanation yet written. The New
York
Review of Books. (http://search.barnesandnoble.com)
This
is not a mere comic book. It
demonstrates in readily
understandable
terms the main tenets of Darwin's writings and includes references to
many
of the geologists and naturalists who preceded him and who, in some
cases,
aided his studies. . . . There is a serious presentation of the
concepts
of natural selection, the basis of modern genetics, isolating
mechanisms,
and the topology of DNA. There is actually sufficient text to fill
several
chapters of a standard textbook. This is one of those books that one
opens
at random to casually peruse a few pages and soon becomes engrossed.
Recommended
for students of all ages and to anyone else not totally devoid of a
sense
of humor. (http://search.barnesandnoble.com)
Essentially
comic book format. Very easy to read.
Covers the
history of natural science and Darwin's life. Explains the theory of
evolution
and creationist objections. Lots of pictures and comic drawings. No
real
bibliography but lists some further readings. (http://math.hws.edu/vaughn/fsem/002/project-1.html)
Jonathan
Miller, Darwin for Beginners (Pantheon 1982 but much
reprinted)
is a fine place to get up to speed,
helped by the illustrations by
Borin
van Loon. Called Introducing Darwin in some editions. William H.
Calvin,
A Brain for All Seasons. (University of Chicago Press, 2002) (http://faculty.washington.edu/wcalvin/BrainForAllSeasons/notes.htm)
For
a rapid, amusing and accurate guide
to the Darwinian
revolution,
there is nothing better than: Jonathan Miller & Borin Van Loon,
Darwin
For Beginners (Icon Books, 1992). With cartoon illustrations.
from The Impact of Evolution: Darwinism and Victorian Writers (http://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/english/Victorians/DarwinLecSummary.htm)
Need
a quick overview of Charles Darwin and the development of
his
theory? This 175-page book is
filled with amusing illustrations and
just enough words to convey the basic story. From 'Some Thoughts and
Readings
on the History and Philosophy of Science' Richard E. Lenski (http://myxo.css.msu.edu/lenski/history)
Fun
to read. This is a great
lightweight book on Darwin's
life
and the development of the idea of evolution. Though it would be a
shame
to stop an exploration of natural selection here, it's a great starting
point because it provides the context in which Darwin's thoughts came
to
be. It also discusses objections and criticisms of natural selection,
how
it has been misunderstood and abused, and how Darwin himself treated
problematic
aspects of the theory. I don't know that the illustrations and such are
very revealing or useful, but they definitely make the book easy and
fun
to read, though the last few pages become more text-based. Overall,
it's
a well executed introduction to a very influential and oft
misinterpreted
person. But though this book is for beginners, please don't stay one...
go and read "Origin of Species."Rating: 4. (http://www.anybook4less.com/detail/1840460768.html)
This
lively, clever, humorous little book IS accurate
--
"scientifically
correct," in the words of Dr. Tim M. Berra of Ohio State University
(author of "Evolution and the Myth of Creationism," 1990, Stanford
University Press). I agree with him that it would be a great gift for
students
to give to their parents to help them understand evolution. The
illustrations,
many of which are worth a thousand words, are at once engaging,
informative,
and great fun. Solid history and science in superlative format.
An illustrated narrative tells,
all too briefly, the story of Darwin
the man and his revolutionary discovery of how the living world came to
be. Thanks to its amusing, but informative, cartoon style exegesis,
this
little gem is a uniquely powerful antidote to creationist propaganda in
the classroom. The best introduction to Darwin and his ideas you're
likely
to see. (Both these reviews from http://www.fetchbook.info)
This paper represents the
outcome of about two months of total
immersion
in Darwin, evolutionary theory and relevant histories of science. My
self-designed
crash course began at the beginning with Darwin
for Beginners,
an
engaging and informative grown-up comic strip by Jonathan Miller and
Borin
van Loon ...
Linda Nochlin (http://www.19thc-artworldwide.org/spring_03/articles/noch_print.html)
This
book takes us through the upheaval in biological thought
that made The Origin of
Species possible. Meet Charles Darwin: a timid, anti-social,
semi-invalid
who was said to undermind the belief in God-the-creator. (http://www.86thfloor.com/Advance%20Order/September2003/catalogue/7_Indies_R.htm)
This
is a great lightweight book on Darwin's life
and the
development
of the idea of evolution. Though it would be a shame to stop an
exploration
of natural selection here, it's a great starting point because it
provides
the context in which Darwin's thoughts came to be. It also discusses
objections
and criticisms of natural selection, how it has been misunderstood and
abused,
and how Darwin himself treated problematic aspects of the theory. I
don't
know that the illustrations and such are very revealing or useful, but
they
definitely make the book easy and fun to read, though the last few
pages
become more text-based. Overall, it's a well executed introduction to a
very influential and oft misinterpreted person. But though this book is
for beginners, please don't stay one... go and read "Origin of Species."
This lively, clever, humorous little book IS accurate --
"scientifically
correct," in the words of Dr. Tim M. Berra of Ohio State University
(author of "Evolution and the Myth of Creationism," 1990, Stanford
University Press). I agree with him that it would be a great gift for
students
to give to their parents to help them understand evolution. The
illustrations,
many of which are worth a thousand words, are at once engaging,
informative,
and great fun. Solid history and science in superlative format.
An illustrated narrative tells, all too briefly, the story of Darwin
the
man and his revolutionary discovery of how the living world came to be.
Thanks to its amusing, but informative, cartoon style exegesis, this
little
gem is a uniquely powerful antidote to creationist propaganda in the
classroom.
The best introduction to Darwin and his ideas you're likely to see. (http://traveltocaribbeanislands.com/0375714588.html)
The back cover
notes on Pantheon
Books' DARWIN FOR BEGINNERS
describes the text of the book as
"…clever, witty, and highly informative…," and
DFB
certainly is. The book is surprisingly accessible and presents Charles
Darwin, the man we know as "the father of evolution," in a reader
friendly way.
DFB, a republication of a 1982 book, is actually part of a series that
introduces important intellectuals and thinkers like Darwin and Sigmund
Freud to readers through words and pictures, what we like to call the
comic book or graphic novel. Rather than do a comic book adaptation of
Darwin's most famous work, THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES, writer Jonathan
Miller details Darwin's life, the development of his theories, the
science of his time, and the culture in which he lived and how those
elements came together and shaped his revolutionary ideas.
Miller's text is highly insightful, funny, and as entertaining as it is
enlightening. The last third of the book is, however, occasionally too
dry, but it does revive in a conclusion that left me wanting
more. Borin Van Loon uses a mixture of single panel cartoons,
single page illustrations, collages, comic strips, illustrated maps,
illustrated prose, and multi-panel pantomimes that work cohesively with
Miller's text in ways that most traditional comic book art fails.
Darwin for Beginners is by no means perfect, but it's the perfect way
to introduce crucial scientific ideas and personalities to the layman
and to the student. If only copies of this were in high school
classrooms. GRADE B+ (http://www.comicbookbin.com/reviews18.html)
- nice to see us reviewed alongside 'proper' comic books.
National Center for
Science
Education
Lively, clever, and humorous, Darwin for Beginners introduces the life
and work of Charles Darwin in words and pictures. Although Darwin for
Beginners is in cartoon form, it is eminently suitable for the adult
reader as well. In fact, as Tim M Berra, author of Evolution and the
Myth of Creationism, quips, it is “the sort of book students
could give to their parents to help them understand
evolution.”
Originally published in the centenary year of Darwin’s death,
1982. (http://www.ncseweb.org/resources/rncse_content/vol20/9134_darwiniana_12_30_1899.asp)
-
The original colour hardback
cover