The Voyage of the Beagle Paperback – January 19, 2012

The reader of this edition, the great David Case, is wonderful. And of course Voyage is a great work, interesting on many levels, a glimpse of insight and genius to come.Some listeners think that a passage regarding the outrage of the ichneumon wasp paralyzing caterpillars and laying her eggs inside them is missing. It is not missing.In Voyage, near the end of Chapter 2, (it is a long passage, 4 or 5 paragraphs), Darwin does discuss this wasp, and her pursuit of a spider (totally creepy), and mentions that the wasp also paralyzes caterpillars and lays her eggs in them. But the connection between the survival strategy of the wasp to benevolent design is not discussed in Voyage in any edition, audio or paper. In Origin, Darwin writes that this phenomenon can't be consistent with benevolent design. Darwin expresses himself most clearly regarding the practices of this wasp and benevolent diety in a letter to Asa Gray written in 1860. The letter is quoted in numerous Wikipedia pieces on Darwin:"I own that I cannot see as plainly as others do, and as I should wish to do, evidence of design and beneficence on all sides of us. There seems to me too much misery in the world. I cannot persuade myself that a beneficent and omnipotent God would have designedly created the Ichneumonidae with the express intention of their feeding within the living bodies of Caterpillars, or that a cat should play with mice."

I purchased this for a sister who is on a National Geographic tour of the Galapagos Islands. What better book to read than the original source for evolution and the incredible diversity of wildlife and birds found on the many islands of the Galapagos? I haven't heard a complete review of the book but so far heard that it was an interesting read and not too difficult to enjoy. I am looking forward to hearing about the trip and seeing the photos as a modern update to "The Origin."

In 1831 Charles Darwin embarked on a trip that changed forever the way we view our world and its living species. Its importance would lead us to read Darwin's account even if it were deadly dull--which it is only occasionally, in long paragraphs about minute differences in species. Overall, the gripping story with apt descriptions of people and places is sure to draw in any reader with even a passing interest in natural history. Darwin is astute, honest and blessed with abiding curiosity about the world and all its inhabitants. Skip over some tedious detail (I did) but keep reading. You'll be glad you persisted.

This is my 2nd favorite book by Charles Darwin, because he tells the story of that great circumnavigation that he did as a young man, at a time when most of South America was still wild.What he saw, probably a first-of-a-kind voyage for any human being, made his conclusions, as told in 'Origin..' unavoidable, of course.But I just like to imagine what it was like for a very young man to embark on what was certainly a perilous voyage that would have him traverse Cape Horn multiple times.Truly a remarkable book and highly recommended.

This wonderful book is produced with beautiful and appropriate illustrations to accompany Darwin's text. The cover is sumptuous and the book is very large and heavy. It arrived in England amazingly quickly from its American seller. Nothing like this would appear to be available from an English seller so I am amazed at how well the the Amazon market place works

Worst is that it ends abruptly mid-story in Peru, omitting major stops such as the Galapagos, Tahiti, New Zealand, and Australia. In other versions, Darwin covers these, reports his return home, and provides closure with a 6-page conclusion. In addition, my version has no illustrations (just occasional pages where a sentence ends halfway through the row mid-page and then the text continues on the next page). There is no introduction by Brown/Neve, nor ANY notes, maps, appendices, or essay on scientific geology and the Bible by Robert FitzRoy. The cover is pretty, warranting 1/4 star.

I am puzzled by the fact that it says it's annotated when it is not. It,nevertheless, is a good reading copy.

It was amazing how he made the journey he took so many years ago come so alive for me. His writing was clear and concise. So much about nature was not understood then. It was literally a new world he spent five years visiting, collecting and organizing specimens. His insights into the lives of the people he contacted were fascinating. He spent time with all sorts: settlers, gauchos, missionaries, leaders, sailors, native people, slaves ( horrified by their treatment).