Darwin's Ghost: The Origin of Species Updated
Biologists have a dirty little secret: while practically  everyone knows ofThe  Origin of Species(and owes much to it), almost nobody has  read it.  British geneticist Steve Jones wants to make the arguments  contained in that great text accessible to modern audiences, and  succeeds with the delightfulDarwin's Ghost. Approximating the  structure of Darwin's opus, Jones uses the original chapter headings  and summaries as a scaffolding to build an up-to-date demonstration of  the power of a few simple ideas.  Heredity, variation, and natural  selection are all you need to infer evolution over time, and now that  Jones can fill in the gaps in Darwin's pre-Mendelian understanding of  genetics, the case becomes airtight.More than a polemic, though,Darwin's Ghostis nearly as pleasurable a read as its  ancestor is--one suspects that part of Jones's mission is to inspire  today's readers to turn back to the grand but humbleOrigin of  Species.  While he may not be able to quite match Darwin's vast  erudition or hawk's eye for detail, he still makes the theory of  evolution shudder and breathe on the page.  Dog breeding, mass  extinctions, and weird fossils of tiny elephants all march to his  drumbeat and--just when you least expect it--return to the main point  that all living things share a common ancestor.  Whether you're one of  the elite who's had the pleasure of Darwin's literary company or you'd  like a taste of what you're missing,Darwin's Ghostwill bring  the spirit of the great man back into your world of ideas.--Rob  Lightner--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.