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The Great Naturalists
The story of natural history as seen through the lives, observations, and discoveries of the world’s greatest naturalists. “How the sciences of geology, biology, ecology and paleontology developed over three centuries is wonderfully illuminated in this volume.” ― Publishers Weekly We owe a debt of gratitude to the naturalists who described, experimented, collected, and gave us the means to understand the natural world. They came from all over the globe, from classical times to the end of the nineteenth century, when natural history changed from a mainly amateur pursuit to today’s specialized scientific profession. Braving dangers―including storms, pirates, and disease―in pursuit of cataloging the natural world, pioneers such as Alexander von Humboldt and Charles Darwin changed the course of science with their groundbreaking theories. This book includes many naturalists who are well known, such as the earliest great natural historian, Aristotle; Carl Linnaeus, the man who brought order to nature; the ornithologist and painter John James Audubon; and Georges Cuvier, who established the concept of extinction. Others are now given their rightful Antony van Leeuwenhoek, who made his own microscopes and discovered bacteria; and Mary Anning, “the princess of paleontology,” who had an amazing, self-taught talent for finding fossils. Many of these people were great artists as well as scientists, and The Great Naturalists is illustrated with a selection of beautiful and precise paintings and drawings of birds, animals, fossils, fish, shells, and rocks from the unparalleled collections of the Natural History Museum, London. 25 illustrations
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
November 1, 2025
An excellent breakdown of popular and less-known botanists, adventurers, collectors, scientists, and philosophers throughout history, all of which would come to encompass the term "naturalist." Here, a number of researchers and authors come together to each write their own concise summary of a given member of this established scientific coterie, with light backgrounds on each and every naturalist, as well as color plates and illustrations on almost every other page defining their life's achievements. With no specific subject getting more attention or adoration than that of their fellow biologists, the reader is given a magnificent explanation of their findings and theories that would—typically—come to later appreciation and fruition after their death:
Linnaeus also made significant contributions to animal taxonomy, although he failed to achieve the clarity of his botanical work. He chose a different organ as the basis for four of the six animal classes – teeth for mammals, bills for birds, fins for fish and wings for insects. Worms (vermes), as Linnaeus called the remaining animals without a backbone, were distinguished by their external characteristics. Erroneously, rhinoceroses were classified as rodents, but he was the first to classify whales as mammals. His system became widely accepted in the 19th century.
A lineup that showcases almost forty different naturalists from the dawn of the Greeks up through the nineteenth century, Robert Huxley and the various writers showcase the likes of Theophrastus, Cesalpino, Hooke, Steller, Banks, Cuvier, Humboldt, Erasmus and Charles Darwin, and the illustrious Audubon among many others. This is a fascinating tome that gives just enough information to keep each topic distinct and memorable from the last, with brilliant pictures that involve their own engravings, drawings, notes, portraits, and findings. Those looking to brush up on famous figures of the naturalist world, or to capture a fresh set of insight for those scientists who stayed out of the spotlight will undoubtedly enjoy The Great Naturalists.
Linnaeus also made significant contributions to animal taxonomy, although he failed to achieve the clarity of his botanical work. He chose a different organ as the basis for four of the six animal classes – teeth for mammals, bills for birds, fins for fish and wings for insects. Worms (vermes), as Linnaeus called the remaining animals without a backbone, were distinguished by their external characteristics. Erroneously, rhinoceroses were classified as rodents, but he was the first to classify whales as mammals. His system became widely accepted in the 19th century.
A lineup that showcases almost forty different naturalists from the dawn of the Greeks up through the nineteenth century, Robert Huxley and the various writers showcase the likes of Theophrastus, Cesalpino, Hooke, Steller, Banks, Cuvier, Humboldt, Erasmus and Charles Darwin, and the illustrious Audubon among many others. This is a fascinating tome that gives just enough information to keep each topic distinct and memorable from the last, with brilliant pictures that involve their own engravings, drawings, notes, portraits, and findings. Those looking to brush up on famous figures of the naturalist world, or to capture a fresh set of insight for those scientists who stayed out of the spotlight will undoubtedly enjoy The Great Naturalists.
May 12, 2022
Robert Huxley took on a monumental task when he agreed to edit this volume, which is as much a history of science as natural history. The collection of essays includes an impressive list of authors, professors of history and science, curators, and other notables. Each contributor devoted three to seven pages to one naturalist.
The Age of enlightenment section gave many familiar names, such as Catesby, Bartram, Linnaeus, and Lamarck. Georg Steller sailed east from Kamchatka and described the Steller’s Jay, confirming Russia’s claim to Alaska is among those included.
Alexander von Humboldt, John James Audubon, Alfred Russell Wallace, Charles Darwin, and Asa Gray are featured in the 19th-century portion.
The section titled “The Ancients” includes Aristotle, who described the feeding mechanism of the sea urchin, a structure known today as “Aristotle’s Lantern.” Theophrastus, the founder of botany, and Pliny the Elder, whose Historia Naturalis ran to 160 volumes, are also included.
Robert Huxley, the editor, served as Head of Collections in the Botany Department of the Museum of Natural History in London. He is retired from that post but continues as a consultant and writer.
The Age of enlightenment section gave many familiar names, such as Catesby, Bartram, Linnaeus, and Lamarck. Georg Steller sailed east from Kamchatka and described the Steller’s Jay, confirming Russia’s claim to Alaska is among those included.
Alexander von Humboldt, John James Audubon, Alfred Russell Wallace, Charles Darwin, and Asa Gray are featured in the 19th-century portion.
The section titled “The Ancients” includes Aristotle, who described the feeding mechanism of the sea urchin, a structure known today as “Aristotle’s Lantern.” Theophrastus, the founder of botany, and Pliny the Elder, whose Historia Naturalis ran to 160 volumes, are also included.
Robert Huxley, the editor, served as Head of Collections in the Botany Department of the Museum of Natural History in London. He is retired from that post but continues as a consultant and writer.
September 28, 2019
“Natural history, taken in all its extent, is an immense history, it embraces all the objects with which the universe presents us.”
I read The Great Naturalists from cover to cover which, with hindsight, may not be the best way to appreciate the content it offers. Instead, it could be dipped into as a reference for those wishing to acquire a brief overview of the work done by the thirty-seven men and two women who have been included within its pages. They are all European or, later, American. I am left wondering about the contributions made to the natural sciences through the ages by those born elsewhere.
Following an introduction the book is divided into four sections: The Ancients, The Renaissance, The Enlightenment, and The 19th Century. Each section presents potted histories of various pioneers and thinkers whose work contributed to moving knowledge forward in that era. As well as detailing: place of birth, family circumstances, and education; entries include the subject’s key publications and achievements. Writing style is rather dry and factual, perhaps an odd comment to make about a work of non-fiction but this affected engagement – the format became repetitive given the way I was reading.
Aside from the science there are other nuggets of interest, such as the irony that the prestigious Royal Society was formed from a group of scholars “encouraged by the scientifically sympathetic regime of the Lord Protector, Oliver Cromwell.” Mostly though each entry concentrates on the gradual development of natural history into what is now a range of specialisms. It took centuries for acceptance that “all living things were not made for man”. Religious dogma is shown to have limited wider thinking until relatively recently.
The discoveries detailed were made through travel, observation, illustration and, in some instances, experimentation. Nature was regarded as existing to benefit man, and plants were initially studied for their medicinal properties rather than purely for interest. Once systems were developed for naming and classification, knowledge could be disseminated and built upon. There was often a degree of competitiveness between contemporaries.
As well as the many published books and their associated illustrations, botanic gardens and collections held in museums proved useful to those coming later. By recording, measuring and collecting on voyages throughout the world there was a gradual increase in understanding of the existence of plant and animal species along with their development and interdependencies.
I was amused by the entry for Comte de Buffon who, unusually, wrote his books in a populist style, one that was sneered at by the scientific establishment – the ‘educated people’. He was even (gasp of horror) read and enjoyed by women!
“It would be easy to accept the criticisms of Buffon’s academic contemporaries and dismiss the Histoire Naturelle as a purely popularising work, empty and puffed up, with little real scientific value. But through his work Buffon truly changed the face of natural history in a way no academic had done before.”
There are only the briefest mentions of the politics and history of each era. Likewise, there is little judgement of the hunting and dissecting of creatures to attain a knowledge that will be of no benefit to them.
Many of the naturalists included were independently wealthy or had wealthy patrons eager to enhance private collections. Knowledge of nature was sought without concern for the effects of such activity on location and native species. As ecology became better understood man’s place, along with his origins, finally began to be questioned.
From Aristotle through to Darwin, the various theories naturalists pondered and posited are presented. None worked in isolation – attributions do not always recognise this. Of Darwin it is written,
“It was never enough for him simply to observe, he needed always to find the explanations underlying even the most commonplace phenomena.”
Although a great thinker he relied on others to provide him with examples he could study to formulate his proofs.
The book provides an interesting glimpse into the changing nature of scientific endeavours through the ages. It offers a reminder that accepted facts can change as new discoveries are made.
I read The Great Naturalists from cover to cover which, with hindsight, may not be the best way to appreciate the content it offers. Instead, it could be dipped into as a reference for those wishing to acquire a brief overview of the work done by the thirty-seven men and two women who have been included within its pages. They are all European or, later, American. I am left wondering about the contributions made to the natural sciences through the ages by those born elsewhere.
Following an introduction the book is divided into four sections: The Ancients, The Renaissance, The Enlightenment, and The 19th Century. Each section presents potted histories of various pioneers and thinkers whose work contributed to moving knowledge forward in that era. As well as detailing: place of birth, family circumstances, and education; entries include the subject’s key publications and achievements. Writing style is rather dry and factual, perhaps an odd comment to make about a work of non-fiction but this affected engagement – the format became repetitive given the way I was reading.
Aside from the science there are other nuggets of interest, such as the irony that the prestigious Royal Society was formed from a group of scholars “encouraged by the scientifically sympathetic regime of the Lord Protector, Oliver Cromwell.” Mostly though each entry concentrates on the gradual development of natural history into what is now a range of specialisms. It took centuries for acceptance that “all living things were not made for man”. Religious dogma is shown to have limited wider thinking until relatively recently.
The discoveries detailed were made through travel, observation, illustration and, in some instances, experimentation. Nature was regarded as existing to benefit man, and plants were initially studied for their medicinal properties rather than purely for interest. Once systems were developed for naming and classification, knowledge could be disseminated and built upon. There was often a degree of competitiveness between contemporaries.
As well as the many published books and their associated illustrations, botanic gardens and collections held in museums proved useful to those coming later. By recording, measuring and collecting on voyages throughout the world there was a gradual increase in understanding of the existence of plant and animal species along with their development and interdependencies.
I was amused by the entry for Comte de Buffon who, unusually, wrote his books in a populist style, one that was sneered at by the scientific establishment – the ‘educated people’. He was even (gasp of horror) read and enjoyed by women!
“It would be easy to accept the criticisms of Buffon’s academic contemporaries and dismiss the Histoire Naturelle as a purely popularising work, empty and puffed up, with little real scientific value. But through his work Buffon truly changed the face of natural history in a way no academic had done before.”
There are only the briefest mentions of the politics and history of each era. Likewise, there is little judgement of the hunting and dissecting of creatures to attain a knowledge that will be of no benefit to them.
Many of the naturalists included were independently wealthy or had wealthy patrons eager to enhance private collections. Knowledge of nature was sought without concern for the effects of such activity on location and native species. As ecology became better understood man’s place, along with his origins, finally began to be questioned.
From Aristotle through to Darwin, the various theories naturalists pondered and posited are presented. None worked in isolation – attributions do not always recognise this. Of Darwin it is written,
“It was never enough for him simply to observe, he needed always to find the explanations underlying even the most commonplace phenomena.”
Although a great thinker he relied on others to provide him with examples he could study to formulate his proofs.
The book provides an interesting glimpse into the changing nature of scientific endeavours through the ages. It offers a reminder that accepted facts can change as new discoveries are made.
April 22, 2025
Ein schönes Buch mit vielen schönen Bildern. Leider sind die einleitenden Texte des Herausgebers zu den verschiedenen Perioden, Antike, Rennaicance, Aufklärung, 19. Jahrhundert etwas wirr. Und leider ist die Auswahl der portraitierten Wissenschaftler völlig unklar. Und alle erhalten ungefähr den gleichen Raum. Als wären Catesby, Anning oder Gray genauso bedeutend wie Artistotels, Darwin, Cuvier, oder Linné. Vielleicht täusche ich mich, aber ich glaube, die beiden Frauen und alle Amerikaner sind rein aus Marketing-Gründen aufgenommen worden. Dafür fehlt Georg Forster und der gute Gregor Mendel wird nicht einmal erwähnt.
Zudem wird als Todesjahr Humboldts mit 1862 angegeben (er starb 1859). Da mag man dann dem ganzen nicht recht trauen. Vermutlich sollte man sich lieber die Bilder ansehen und die entsprechenden Wikipedia-Artikel lesen.
Zudem wird als Todesjahr Humboldts mit 1862 angegeben (er starb 1859). Da mag man dann dem ganzen nicht recht trauen. Vermutlich sollte man sich lieber die Bilder ansehen und die entsprechenden Wikipedia-Artikel lesen.
January 17, 2024
Interesting and very expansive non-fiction about the various big naturalists throughout history (spoilers, they're mostly white men). Genuinely had me hooked from the start and I definitely learned a new thing or two. Some of these people I've already read about before, others were new to me. This book definitely broadened my horizons on natural history researchers a bit.
It's also richly illustrated and has a nice layout with each page having an old-paper-ish texture, almost like you're reading a real old non-fiction book about the subject.
If I do have one criticism it's that some people had longer chapters on them than others, which feels a bit unbalanced, but I'm not sure if this is because there is less known about some of them, or they made smaller/less contributions to the field or something like that.
It's also richly illustrated and has a nice layout with each page having an old-paper-ish texture, almost like you're reading a real old non-fiction book about the subject.
If I do have one criticism it's that some people had longer chapters on them than others, which feels a bit unbalanced, but I'm not sure if this is because there is less known about some of them, or they made smaller/less contributions to the field or something like that.
December 5, 2022
The Great Naturalists is a collection of 3-10 page synopses on 39 different different naturalists, who are broadly defined as people who systematically study lifeforms, through western history from Aristotle all the way to Asa Gray. While it was informative and you do get a sense of the study developing overtime, I felt that there was an internal conflict in the broad narrative being presented (like Aristotle is praised as systemically developing the study of life but another will decry him for holding back later developments with his supposedly bad philosophical commitments) due to each article being written by a different author and it was a bit of a boring read overall. Finally, the color plates themselves are very vibrant and sharp, which was unexpected for this type of book.
April 26, 2024
Sure, a bit heavy and dry if read in one go, but I actually found this really interesting. Not so much remembering individuals' achievements as identifying patterns, learning about epochs and tracing the development of various branches of science.
October 4, 2024
“Continually impelled by a restless spirit of curiosity…”
In The Great Naturalists, Huxley takes on the daunting task of outlining the scientific development of our natural history. Starting in ancient times and going through the 19th century, Huxley covers 39 of the greatest minds that established our knowledge and understanding of geology, paleontology, biology, and zoology. While this is not a comprehensive analysis of each person’s life and scientific achievements, it certainly covers the basics and piques your curiosity to learn more.
Pros
Clear and compact summaries
Each section of the book covers a different time period and each chapter in the book covers a different person in a few pages. In the ancient times through the Renaissance, the focus was on establishing the foundation of knowledge through the development of encyclopedia-type publications. Later in the Renaissance, naturalists sought to improve and build upon the foundation. Finally in the Enlightenment, theories were created and tested as naturalists worked through the hows and whys of the natural world.
This book successfully interests you to pursue additional readings about particular naturalists and time periods in order to learn more. And to make it easy on the reader, Huxley includes recommended additional readings at the back of the book.
Cons
Repetitive
It quickly becomes apparent that each chapter is meant to stand on its own. When combined into this book, there’s quite a bit of repetition that could have been better consolidated to reduce unnecessary reiteration.
Overall…
This was a nice book to gain a workable understanding of the people and contributions that established our knowledge of the natural world. If a high level knowledge is all you want, this is a great book for you. But as Huxley seems to acknowledge, the intent is to explore additional books to gain a deeper understanding.
In The Great Naturalists, Huxley takes on the daunting task of outlining the scientific development of our natural history. Starting in ancient times and going through the 19th century, Huxley covers 39 of the greatest minds that established our knowledge and understanding of geology, paleontology, biology, and zoology. While this is not a comprehensive analysis of each person’s life and scientific achievements, it certainly covers the basics and piques your curiosity to learn more.
Pros
Clear and compact summaries
Each section of the book covers a different time period and each chapter in the book covers a different person in a few pages. In the ancient times through the Renaissance, the focus was on establishing the foundation of knowledge through the development of encyclopedia-type publications. Later in the Renaissance, naturalists sought to improve and build upon the foundation. Finally in the Enlightenment, theories were created and tested as naturalists worked through the hows and whys of the natural world.
This book successfully interests you to pursue additional readings about particular naturalists and time periods in order to learn more. And to make it easy on the reader, Huxley includes recommended additional readings at the back of the book.
Cons
Repetitive
It quickly becomes apparent that each chapter is meant to stand on its own. When combined into this book, there’s quite a bit of repetition that could have been better consolidated to reduce unnecessary reiteration.
Overall…
This was a nice book to gain a workable understanding of the people and contributions that established our knowledge of the natural world. If a high level knowledge is all you want, this is a great book for you. But as Huxley seems to acknowledge, the intent is to explore additional books to gain a deeper understanding.
December 20, 2020
Hard to praise this book enough. The glorious illustrations that show the progress of inquiring minds over generation's against the ignorance of religions that still hold far to much sway in our modern world. Whether it is covid or global warming we need to listen to the scientists and not the ill informed.
December 29, 2019
Interesting little book. I mostly enjoyed that the essays were all written by different authors of the field but wish that some of them had gone into a little more detail. I find the lives and pursuits of naturalists very intriguing.
September 26, 2019
Great illustrations, wonderful encompassing overview upon this field of science
November 8, 2020
An excellent introduction to many of the world's naturalists, both well known and obscure. I found that this was useful as a introduction to each individual and encouraged further reading.
June 22, 2021
5 starzzz
February 9, 2014
A survey of the titular "Great Naturalists" from antiguity to the 19th century, from Aristotle to Asa Gray. Biographies range from a couple pages to around twenty for some of the more notable ones. There are only two women profiled (Maria Sibylla Merian and Mary Anning) though that can be handwaved due to a focus on western natural history. Full color illustrations are the highlight of this (and honestly should accompany most things about natural history in my opinion).
April 14, 2008
Compre este libro ayer, Domingo 13 de Abril 2008. Lo encontre revisando las novedades en Ciencia en una libreria en Buenos Aires. La verdad que aun no lo lei, pero el libro es fantastico, con una edicion impecable, y el tema es genial: una revision de los naturalistas desde los griegos hasta Darwin. Apenas lo tenga mas leido, o simplemente pasado las paginas, prometo escribir algo mas.
May 18, 2008
I thought this book was very well done. Each naturalist was covered by a different essayist, and all were interesting to read. Many illustrations were included, and they enhanced the text. I would recommend this book as a gift to anyone who likes natural history.
June 12, 2025
This had some great facts and stories about the great naturalists of history. Sad that there were only 2 women and no POC. but I guess that's history :( . I liked how it went through all of history though. It painted a great picture of how much science has advanced throughout time.
Want to read
January 18, 2009Stunning book, just from flipping through it!
i am in love with the old school drawings of wild life adn this book is going to be good!!!
i am in love with the old school drawings of wild life adn this book is going to be good!!!
December 29, 2009
Fascinating stories and historical accounts of the first natural scientists with beautiful pictures.
May 13, 2020
Nicely composed for brief history of natural science. Arranged by timeline. The story of each hero contain they background,
achievements, and heroic tales which told effectively.
achievements, and heroic tales which told effectively.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews