Charles Darwin: Destroyer of Myths

In this dense volume, biographer Norman (Adolf Hitler: The Final Analysis) outlines Darwin’s life in accordance with the scientific observations, academic inquiries, and philosophical debates that defined his revolutionary intellect. Emphasis is placed on the organization of information rather than Norman’s own interpretation, with short chapters focusing on specific, self-contained topics, which cover issues from the “marital equation” and “freedom of thought” to Darwin’s lifelong “mysterious illness.” The principal players tell their own story, and Darwin’s traits as a “meticulous observer” and holder of a “hyperactive mind” emerge largely through block quotations derived from primary sources, narrated and contextualized by Norman’s guiding asides and comments. Norman employs multiple approaches to organization within each chapter, sometimes presenting numbered points or question/answer segments, laced with short biographical sketches of affiliated figures including John Locke and Galileo Galilei, among others. The book sometimes reads like a collection of lecture notes, but its form also enables clear presentation of the material, making it. an extremely handy reference for preliminary research on Darwin’s life, career, and key relationships. With contextual inquiries into religious perspectives, scientific developments, and the posthumous misrepresentation of Darwinian ideas, this rich perspective is an excellent introduction to the breadth of Darwin’s achievements. (May)