a book every physican scientist should read twice

I spent 35 years in science to find that the origin and evolution of a particular disease is caused by natural selection. it stared into my face for 35 years. Reading the book it is all there! naturally the genetics is missing, but even without knowing genetics the minute observations and their explanation render genetics obvious. would I have understood the book the same way 35 years ago, I don't know, but variation followed natural selection is certainly the most powerful insights into medicine one ever can have. Peter Wickham is a most wonderful narrator, giving me the feeling that Darwin is just sitting next to me, telling me about his ideas being most concerned about my understanding and feelings or objections. What a treat!

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

A brilliant concept, A brilliant book

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would (and have) recommended this book to many. I believe this book to be the pinnacle of the progressive, scientific way of thinking. Though dated (both in content and in language used), this book holds great scientific and historical importance.

What other book might you compare On the Origin of Species to, and why?

A lot of Richard Dawkins' writing, primarily the selfish gene, is comparable to Darwins "on the origin of species". Though Dawkins has the benefit of a century of scientific development and understanding, they both approach the topic in a similar manor.

Any additional comments?

As with most scientific writing, it helps vastly to have a preliminary knowledge before jumping in. If you are completely unfamiliar with biology or evolution then some of the finer points of this book will be lost on you. We have the privilege to be able to understand much that Darwin could not (genetic theory, true inheritance etc.). Reading / listening to this with an understanding of these concepts not only makes it easier to understand what Darwin wrote, but also gives a humbling realization to the gravity of what he was writing (and at such a time). Many of his predictions have since become true, and many of his observations can now be explained thoroughly with our modern understanding of genes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

A great work delivered beautifully

Wonderfully read great book of the last century covering Darwin's theories of evolution and survival of the fittest.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Superb narrator

I could listen to Peter Wickham all day. A fantastic and enthralling subject beautifully delivered.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

Amazing

Darwin’s observations over a century and a half ago are amazingly accurate. I wish I had seen this beforehand

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Excellently read

An excellently read edition: Wickham is clear, emotive, authoritative, & reads without (so far as I could tell, & which is nigh unheard of) a single pronunciational, grammatical-misreading, or intonal error.

On the text itself, it's worth noting that this recording is from Darwin's heavily revised 1872 edition of On the Origin of Species, which is the sixth version of the text first published in 1859: The text is therefore quite a lot longer than one might expect, & filled not only with explanation of the theory but with long sections which dispute with or refer to the work of nineteenth-century naturalists with whom the general reader is unlikely to be familiar. This makes this version somewhat more foreign to the modern reader, but also gives space for Darwin to work at a greater depth on certain matters, which is very helpful to one trying to understand the complexities of the theory as he proposed it.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

20 people found this helpful

Engrossing

What a great narration of a classic. Really highly recommend, absolute genius and he conveys complex ideas with such ease and evident passion.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Incredible

This is the atheists bible. Written so long ago, the amount of work undertaken to reach these conclusions is almost unimaginable. I loved it.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!