Darwin, and After Darwin, Volumes 1 and 3

This volume presents a clear, systematic overview of the ideas that shaped modern biology, drawing on a series of popular lectures once delivered in Edinburgh and at the Royal Institution. It traces the development of natural history from its earliest records right up to the moment Charles Darwin published his groundbreaking work, offering readers a concise narrative of how scientific thought evolved before the theory of evolution took hold.

The author then unpacks Darwin’s core concepts—natural selection, variation, and the wealth of evidence that supported them—using straightforward language and detailed illustrations that make even the more intricate details approachable. While firmly grounded in the original Darwinian framework, the book also hints at the lively debates that followed his death, setting the stage for the next volume’s deeper dive into questions of heredity, adaptation, and other post‑Darwinian issues. It serves as an inviting entry point for anyone eager to understand the foundations of evolutionary theory.