- Paperback: 336 pages
- Publisher: Basic Books; 1 edition (Mar 28 2002)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0465038115
- ISBN-13: 978-0465038114
- Product Dimensions: 23.1 x 14.8 x 2.3 cm
- Shipping Weight: 476 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #566,665 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon
When Europeans first explored the Galapagos Islands, a rugged archipelago 650 miles off the coast of Ecuador, they were astounded by the forbidding landscape and the odd behavior of the animals and plants they found there. "The place is like a new creation," wrote ship captain George Anson, a nephew of the poet Lord Byron. "The birds and beasts do not get out of our way; the pelicans and sea-lions look in our faces as if we had no right to intrude on their solitude; the small birds are so tame that they hop upon our feet; and all this amidst volcanoes which are burning around us on either hand."
Others who followed, like the onetime sailor and writer Herman Melville, took a dimmer view, calling the place "evilly enchanted ground." Whatever the sentiment, the Galapagos attracted generations of scientists, who, following the example of Charles Darwin, traveled there to test theories of speciation, adaptation, migration, and selection. Their work in the field helped overturn the prevailing orthodoxies of special creation, writes Edward J. Larson in his vigorous history of the islands and their role in the development of modern biological science. Their work also changed the face of the islands themselves, as hundreds and thousands of plants and animals were killed or removed for collections far afield, with a single expedition taking more than 10,000 birds and skins.
Today, the islands face other threats, as tens of thousands of ecotourists travel there each year, disturbing sensitive environments, and as alien plant and animal species are introduced. Still, Larson notes at the close of his fine book, "the archipelago's ecosystem has proved surprisingly resilient in the past," and conservation measures may yet be found to preserve the islands' "age-old solitude." --Gregory McNamee --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Publishers Weekly
The isolated Gal pagos Islands, lying on the equator 500 miles off the coast of Ecuador, have played a continuing roleone that Larson beautifully evokes herein studies of evolution ever since Charles Darwin spent his celebrated five weeks there in 1835. Larson, who received the Pulitzer Prize in history for Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America's Continuing Debate over Science and Religion, relates the islands' fascinating history since their discovery by a Spanish bishop in 1535. They soon became a sometime base for pirates, and, during the South Seas whaling boom of the late 1700s, English and American vessels fished the surrounding waters. English naturalists called attention to their unique plants and animals, which led to Darwin's visit on the Beagle. The young Herman Melville visited them six years later; he was much less favorably impressed. In the late 1800s, San Francisco-based scientific institutions like the newly founded Stanford University sent expeditions to bring back plants and animals, dead or alive (mostly dead). The American army dynamited an airstrip out of the volcanic rock to protect the Panama Canal during WWII. After the war, UNESCO took steps to protect the wildlife, which had been decimated over the centuries. In recent years tourism and the attendant influx of Ecuadorians have proved a dubious blessing for the islands' unique ecosystem, which still attracts scientists who travel there to study evolution at work, as well as creation scientists who hope to disprove it. The book contains two extensive photo galleries and is larded with drawings from old accounts of the islands, but it would have benefited immensely from a modern topographic map and photographs of the terrain. Nevertheless, Larson's first-rate history not only will entertain and engage lay readers but also is required reading for those seriously interested in Darwin, evolution or these remarkable islands.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Enchantment of Evolution,
By
Ce commentaire est de: Evolution's Workshop (Paperback)
Must reading for any Galapagos traveler or historian of science. Starting with a contrast of Melville's description of Galapagos as a hell and Darwin's own explorations, Larson traces the history of the idea of evolution, both scientifically and on popular thought. By focusing on the Galapagos, Larson provides a readable account of both how studies in the Galapagos shaped evolutionary thought (From Darwin to Lack to the Grants) but also how the social climate of the day, influenced the explorers, for example how the exuberance of Teddy Roosevelt, affected explorers of the day, or how Harvard zoologist Louis Agassiz influenced the California collecting spree. Larson also reflects on the effects of civilization on the Galapagos, from turtle collecting, to the World War II airstrip at Baltra, to current tensions between protection, locals, and harvest. Science has not always been on the side of protection, for example, "Save them for science" became the cry (at the turn of the last century), even if it meant capturing or killing the last on in the wild. The drawings and photographs complement the text, and include such treats as a photo of Louis Agassiz, sketches from Darwin, and a photo of 250 tortoise specimens in the California Academy of Sciences. I would also recommend Weiner's "The Beak of the Finch", and Darwin's "The Voyage of the Beagle" has a chapter on the Galapagos. Incidentally, the title of the book is probably derived from Darwin's own description of the Galapagos' volcanic hills and craters "From their regular form, they gave the country a workshop appearance".
4.0 out of 5 stars
Saving Lonesome George,
Ce commentaire est de: Evolution's Workshop (Paperback)
The history of a science can teach you much about the process of science and scientific thinking. Evolution marks the beginning of modern biological thought, and the Galapagos Islands played a major role in the development of evolutionary ideas. Edward Larson shows us how the archipelago was differently perceived by so many people from Melville and Darwin in the mid-1800s to later visitors up until the present day. While it would probably be confusing to learn about evolutionary theories from this book, Larson brings to light how some of those theories developed with respect to findings from the Galapagos. By doing this, one shares in the same act of discovery that has so enchanted the various researchers who have come to the islands. All the while, it is a wonderful read, and I highly recommend it those interested in a fascinating narrative about the history of evolution.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Goes beyond the usual examination of Darwinian theory,
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews
Ce commentaire est de: Evolution's Workshop: God And Science On The Galapagos Islands (Hardcover)
Edward J. Larson's superbly presented Evolution's Workshop considers the Galapagos Islands, its history, and the nature of pre-evolutionary science on the islands. The history of top researchers' studies on the islands and their contribution to major scientific advancements makes for a specific type of history which goes beyond the usual examination of Darwinian theory alone.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Want to see more reviews on this item?
|
Most recent customer reviews |
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > New & Used Textbooks > Sciences > Biology & Life Sciences
- Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Evolution
- Books > Religion & Spirituality
- Books > Science > Biological Sciences > Biology
- Books > Science > Evolution
- Books > Science > History & Philosophy > History of Science
- Books > Science > Mathematics
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
