The Origin of Species and The Voyage of the 'Beagle': Introduction by Richard Dawkins (Everyman's Library Classics Series)

A great book and printed in a quality format. Everyman's library prints the best books.

This book is a historic work of art that will forever be the turning point in humans history. Please buy and read this amazing book. I will end this review with my most favorite quote and inspiring quote and the end of Doctor Darwin's book:“Thus, from the war of nature, from famine and death, the most exalted object which we are capable of conceiving, namely, the production of the higher animals, directly follows. There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.”

Hands down Origin of Species is a must read for anyone at all interested in evolution by natural selection. Darwin does an absolutely superb job of explaining his theory. I have read other books on evolution by Dawkins and others that don’t get close to the clarity of explanations given by Darwin. It is amazing that he addressed almost all of the current creationist’s arguments over 150 years ago. I would recommend reading this book with a computer and Google handy so that you can look up the species that he references, as this really makes the book that much more potent in its presentation. The Victorian wordiness was not a big issue for me and I think that most literate people would be able to follow the narrative without many problems.

Excellent book with both stories. However it is printed with VERY small font, making it hard on old eyes.

Very nice printing. The book itself is a journey of discovery. The reader feels like they are there, side by side with Darwin, traveling to lands that are still new and amazing. It's fascinating to see Darwin's observational skills and his power of analytical thinking. After reading it, we never again see the world as a unexplainable. And we ourselves gain an ability to "read" nature. This book was written such a long time ago and still has a tremendous impact on the reader.

This collection is truly wonderful, and a must read for any up and coming evolutionist, or even if you are just looking to learn a bit more about evolutionary theory. The Origin or Species doesn't read like a text, rather it's an intellectual piece that casually discusses his theory. I found the Voyage of the Beagle to be rather interesting as well. I've read several books detailing nautical adventures, and this by far is the absolute best!

One of the lesser known reasons that this book changed the world is that is was so well written.

Absorbing, most enjoyable piece of scientific history. You could make an Indiana Jones movie out of the young Darwin's voyage.

I would have liked a few illustrations for it to be perfect.

Bought this as a gift. My daughter likes it

Me gusta por su presentación en tapa dura, los dos libros juntos, letra fácil. Su bella prosa victoriana, que hayan elejido la primera edición de Origen. Muy recomendable.

By combining the two books into one volume the publisher gives the reader the chance to see Darwin in two different stages of his life.The Voyage of the Beagle shows us the young Darwin, energetic and enthusiastic with a brilliant mind and a keen observer of everything he sees.This is a wonderful book and Darwin gives a facinating look at South America and Australia as it was 200 years ago. If you have ever been bored by some friend showing you his holiday snaps as he drones on about every detail of his holiday you might be put off buying a book describing a five year sea voyage but don't be fooled, this is Indiana Jones meets the theory of evolution.In the Origin of Species we have a much older but just as brilliant Darwin describing his theory of evolution by natural selection. He takes us through the basic idea and then uses it to explain why the natural world is the way we see it. The fundamental idea is brilliant in its simplicity and in its power to explain. What is all the more amazing is at the time Darwin was writing there was no concept of genetics and the discovery of DNA was 100 years away. Inevitably this book may appear a bit dry compared to the high adventure of The Voyage of the Beagle but the reader is more than compensated by the knowledge that they are reading one of the most important books every written in the history of mankind.

I always thought that by purchasing a hard cover book you were guaranteed decent sized print but this is not always the case and this edition is one of those that does not. I do not think I will be able to read it.