Fossils, Finches, and Fuegians: Darwin's Adventures and Discoveries on the Beagle
Keynes tracks Darwin's storied 1831-36 voyage of science and surveying on theBeagle, quoting unexpurgated tracts not only from Darwin's letters and journals but also from those of theBeagle's captain, the emotionally volatile Robert FitzRoy. Keynes allows their relationship to develop in their own words, which he links to incidents on sea and land, lingering to digress on biological and geological observations the ever-curious Darwin made on his forays inland. Another figure onboard was in-house artist Conrad Martens, whose drawings (many printed in color) serve as the book's illustrations. Accessible and pleasing though Keynes' chronicle is, it is undoubtedly a specialty option for acquisition.Gilbert TaylorCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved