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DK Biography
Charles Darwin
Full-color photographs of people, places, and artifacts; definitions of key words; and sidebars on related subjects add dimension and relevance to stories of famous lives, creating a unique reading experience about people youngsters should know.
128 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
1 person is currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
D.K. Publishing
9,068 books2,084 followersDorling Kindersley (DK) is a British multinational publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 62 languages. It is part of Penguin Random House, a consumer publishing company jointly owned by Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA and Pearson PLC. Bertelsmann owns 53% of the company and Pearson owns 47%.
Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.
Source: Wikipedia.
Established in 1974, DK publishes a range of titles in genres including travel (including Eyewitness Travel Guides), arts and crafts, business, history, cooking, gaming, gardening, health and fitness, natural history, parenting, science and reference. They also publish books for children, toddlers and babies, covering such topics as history, the human body, animals and activities, as well as licensed properties such as LEGO, Disney and DeLiSo, licensor of the toy Sophie la Girafe. DK has offices in New York, London, Munich, New Delhi, Toronto and Melbourne.
Source: Wikipedia.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 24, 2017
Unfortunately, unlike its series companion about Einstein (by a different author) I can't recommend this book, even to its intended age group.
Most seriously, there are factual errors: Darwin was not the official naturalist aboard the Beagle. That role was taken by the ship's surgeon (as was often the case), who, jealous of Darwin, quit at the first opportunity and sailed home. (Fortunately FitzRoy was able to hire a new surgeon before continuing the voyage.)
Secondly, there are typographical problems that go beyond just the occasional spelling error into missed and repeated parts of sentences.
Thirdly, in a book that has separate, boxed definitions for such concepts as "geology", words like "ecosystem" go by without any explanation at all.
Not good, which is a shame, since Darwin and his science are so enormously important.
Most seriously, there are factual errors: Darwin was not the official naturalist aboard the Beagle. That role was taken by the ship's surgeon (as was often the case), who, jealous of Darwin, quit at the first opportunity and sailed home. (Fortunately FitzRoy was able to hire a new surgeon before continuing the voyage.)
Secondly, there are typographical problems that go beyond just the occasional spelling error into missed and repeated parts of sentences.
Thirdly, in a book that has separate, boxed definitions for such concepts as "geology", words like "ecosystem" go by without any explanation at all.
Not good, which is a shame, since Darwin and his science are so enormously important.
July 10, 2021
An easy-to-read, overview of Darwin's life.
I'm not going to nit-pick details, but I do have a few comments about accessibility. Assuming the target audience is young adults, too many names are mentioned but not woven into the storyline (e.g., members of the Wedgewood family, Sym Convington). Mentioning works better in material for readers with prior knowledge than it does in an introduction.
But, more seriously, I doubt if the reader would come away with an understanding of natural selection based on this story alone. e.g,
p 85: ... the plants would slowly evolve in order to meet the challenges of the new environment.
I'll wager that the reader would envision particular plants 'adapting' to the new environment. Slowly? Well, it might take a couple of months. The time required for the kinds of changes Darwin is addressing is not explained clearly.
On p 91, there is a better example, but even it falls short.
In Origin, he led the reader step-by-step through the stages of natural selection, using the struggle for survival to show how a species could change over many generations in ways that enabled it to meet the challenges of its environment.
"Many generations" ... could that be four generations? five?
This book's a keeper.
I'm not going to nit-pick details, but I do have a few comments about accessibility. Assuming the target audience is young adults, too many names are mentioned but not woven into the storyline (e.g., members of the Wedgewood family, Sym Convington). Mentioning works better in material for readers with prior knowledge than it does in an introduction.
But, more seriously, I doubt if the reader would come away with an understanding of natural selection based on this story alone. e.g,
p 85: ... the plants would slowly evolve in order to meet the challenges of the new environment.
I'll wager that the reader would envision particular plants 'adapting' to the new environment. Slowly? Well, it might take a couple of months. The time required for the kinds of changes Darwin is addressing is not explained clearly.
On p 91, there is a better example, but even it falls short.
In Origin, he led the reader step-by-step through the stages of natural selection, using the struggle for survival to show how a species could change over many generations in ways that enabled it to meet the challenges of its environment.
"Many generations" ... could that be four generations? five?
This book's a keeper.
500-599-natural-science
January 28, 2020576.8209
October 3, 2013
Enjoyable & easy to read. Clearly places Darwin in his historical, social, and scientific milieu, and clarifies his contributions to scientific thought to this day. Perfect for young teens wanting to understand the science and debate for themselves.
Great quotes attributed to Darwin in this book:
"Tell all my children to remember how good they have always been to me. I am not the least afraid of death." (p.109).
'If I had to live my life again I would have made a rule to read some poetry and listen to some music at least once every week." (p.109).
Also fantastic: the idea of young Englishmen of the "sporting set" caught up in the great beetle craze of the 1820s.
Great quotes attributed to Darwin in this book:
"Tell all my children to remember how good they have always been to me. I am not the least afraid of death." (p.109).
'If I had to live my life again I would have made a rule to read some poetry and listen to some music at least once every week." (p.109).
Also fantastic: the idea of young Englishmen of the "sporting set" caught up in the great beetle craze of the 1820s.
May 4, 2008
Well this is a biography. Enough said right? I had to read a bio on someone who could be a hero. I found it to be actually not as dry as I thought it would be. After seeing the Darwin exhibit at the MOS, I became more interested. Evolution's history is kind of interesting. :P
Read
January 3, 2013No ratings for this story simply because this mans belief is wrong and what he spread around is a joke I didn't read this book but I know and have a lot of research about the man and what he has spread
Want to read
July 12, 2013Lexile: 1170
Read
March 8, 2014Monday- 30 minutes
Tuesday- 40 minutes
Thursday- 50 minutes
Friday- 45 minutes
Tuesday- 40 minutes
Thursday- 50 minutes
Friday- 45 minutes
December 28, 2014
A very informative book about his life, one that I knew pretty much nothing about.
February 15, 2012
Informative little book but written for children so its pretty simple.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews