The Voyage of the Beagle

By: Charles Darwin

Narrated by: Barnaby Edwards

”I hate every wave of the ocean”, the seasick Charles Darwin wrote to his family during his five-year voyage on the H.M.S. Beagle. It was this world-wide journey, however, that launched the scientists career.

The Voyage of the Beagle is Darwin's fascinating account of his trip - of his biological and geological observations and collection activities, of his speculations about the causes and theories behind scientific phenomena, of his interactions with various native peoples, of his beautiful descriptions of the lands he visited, and of his amazing discoveries in the Galapagos archipelago.

Although scientific in nature, the literary quality rivals those of John Muir and Henry Thoreau. Charles Robert Darwin, FRS (12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestors, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection. Darwin published his theory with compelling evidence for evolution in his 1859 book On the Origin of Species, overcoming scientific rejection of earlier concepts of transmutation of species.

By the 1870s the scientific community and much of the general public had accepted evolution as a fact. However, many favoured competing explanations and it was not until the emergence of the modern evolutionary synthesis from the 1930s to the 1950s that a broad consensus developed in which natural selection was the basic mechanism of evolution. In modified form, Darwin's scientific discovery is the unifying theory of the life sciences, explaining the diversity of life.

Public Domain (P)2013 Audible Ltd

Fascinating to travel with Darwin

The clear descriptions delight the eye and mind. The habits of inquiry which lead to the formulation of evolution. Of course, as those in his time saw the world as peopled by the civilized(them) and the savage (all others), his imperialist views of the civilizing British are often expressed. And yet like Humboldt he opposed slavery. A great mind on a world.altering tour

One of the best audiobooks

Great story, amazing person, a travel story,
He looked for scientific understanding in every thing he experienced.

How to see the world

An excellent listen to a most perceptive and energetic traveler. Well read, beautifully written, and full of descriptions of the world in the 1830's. Darwin sees all, understands much, and draws understanding from everything around him.

A must read

a must-read or anyone who wonders wonders how and why Earth and man ate!

Traveling with Darwin

I first read this book 4 decades ago, while an undergraduate student. Even though I studied a lot of biology, no wildlife or field. I've since become an amateur naturalist. As an addict of non fiction audible books, this was a NAT. It is awesome. It's almost like traveling with the man. I never doubted his genius and humanity. I've noticed that this book has been the inspiration for several famous biologists, e.g. Watson (Watson and Crick). Even though I'm no longer a neuroscience researcher, it remains most inspiring for continued local nature studies.

Surprisingly pleasurable

The British accent of the reader made you feel like you were sitting next to Darwin himself as he wrote (spoke) and transported you around the globe.

very good

This is very good and I would recommend it to everyone interested in this subject.

fantastic bit of history

It's so interesting to follow him in the 1800s as such ponders theories about how it is that this plant has such
peculiarities or this animal is able to survive certain environments etc. Wonderfully written and the teamwork between Darwin and other explorers is awesome to see.

Inspiring and Enlightening

Spot on narration. Really captivating all the way through. And gives an awesome image into the wider world.

Wow!

What an adventure! I will be going to the Galapagos in less than a month and can’t wait to experience it!