Book Review - The Descent of Man: An Annotated Edition of Darwin's Classic Work - Princeton University Press

      Your initial reaction when viewing this book might be amazement at the work that has gone into it. It truly is monumental!

      When Charles Darwin published The Descent of Man in 1871 it was noteworthy and sensational, postulating theories and opinions that were were considered scurrilous by many, and sacrilegious by even more. To even hint that humans evolved from lower life forms flew in the face of established dogma, verged on heresy and was received with horror by the religious establishment. Theories of sexual selection and the gradual modification of Homo sapiens engendered outrage and condemnation since man was deemed to have been made in the image of God, perfect in form and immutable in nature.

      This annotated version is a magnum opus compiled by two experts in different fields, thereby combining the scientific and cultural aspects of Darwin's keystone work.

     It is laid out in an easy-to-read format with a numerical cross reference to the original text and the explicatory notes. For those who have not previously read The Descent of Man you will be coming at it from the best possible perspective, with interpretation and historical background as you progress through the book. As someone familiar with the work, I learned on every page and had the benefit of an expanded examination of Darwin’s foundational treatise. The commentaries by the two authors are crisp, sharp, informative and welcomed. You will meet all the luminaries of the day involved in the rapidly evolving theories of the origin of man.

     A couple of sections with coloured plates provide  marvelous insights into the intellectual developments of the period, and are just plain visually appealing.

     t is touching to see where The Beagle lay at anchor in Tierra del Fuego.

     The ornamentation of male birds, driven by female sexual selection are gloriously presented.

     This is one of those reference books that you know will stand the test of time. It will be as relevant and illuminating fifty years from now as it is today. A remarkable work in every way. 

The Descent of Man: An Annotated Edition of Darwin's Classic Work - Princeton University Press

James T. Costa and Elizabeth E. Yale

Hardcover - US$54.95 - ISBN: 9780691194042

816 pages - 8 x 10 inches (20 x25 cm)

2 colour inserts - 77 black-and-white illustrations

Publication date: 21 April, 2026