Review by Choice Review
Alfred Russel Wallace, the codiscoverer of evolution by natural selection so often overshadowed by Charles Darwin, gets his star turn in this richly textured biography. Costa (Western Carolina Univ.), a longtime champion of Wallace's historical importance, builds on his earlier Wallace, Darwin, and the Origin of Species (CH, Jan'15, 52-2521) and his annotated edition of Wallace's species notebook, On the Organic Law of Change (CH, Aug'14, 51-6741). Unlike Darwin, Wallace worked for a living, and this biography chronicles the hard labor he invested to make his name as a jobbing naturalist, and then as a natural philosopher whose name echoed in the most rarified scientific institutions of 19th-century Britain. Costa also provides in-depth treatment of Wallace's progressive social and political views, deftly interwoven with discussions of his scientific achievements. Scientific and social domains are melded via the leitmotif of boundaries that Wallace explored--geological, biological, and social. Deep research grounds the book, but Costa's prose is nevertheless breezy and informal, driving an often-exciting narrative. Some readers may prefer to skim the asides on current geological knowledge to which Wallace had no access, or the indulgent zoological and botanical descriptions, which at times mirror Wallace's own 19th-century prose, but these features are bound to be useful or even charming to others. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers. --Joseph D. Martin, Durham University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Costa (Darwin's Backyard), a biology professor at Western Carolina University, gives naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace (1823--1913) the biography he deserves in this definitive account. Drawing on newly available notebooks and writings by Wallace, Costa suggests that though his subject is best known for discovering natural selection around the same time as Darwin, he also deserves recognition for "his enduring humanity and lifelong activism for social justice." Wallace was born in Wales and moved to London as a teen, where he connected with utopian socialist Robert Owen, whose philosophy influenced Wallace's social activism later in life. In 1848, Wallace traveled to Brazil to collect insects, the first of several expeditions that led him to develop a theory of evolution, then called "transmutation," independent of Darwin. Costa highlights Wallace's preoccupation with social reform near the end of his life, noting that he advocated for women's rights and devoted his last book to "addressing the continued labor and wage problems of the day." Rich research breathes new life into the material, and Costa's attention to Wallace's passions beyond the scientific breakthroughs he's remembered for--including a fascination with astronomy--capture the range of his interests and depth of his character. Comprehensive and revelatory, this is a first-rate take on an overlooked figure in scientific history. (Mar.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A fresh portrait of one of the most important naturalists and explorers of the 19th century. Most historians give Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913) equal credit for discovering natural selection, although he remains in Darwin's shadow. This outstanding biography aims to change that. As Costa, a biology professor and author of Darwin's Backyard, recounts, Wallace, not wealthy like Darwin, left school early to earn a living. Fascinated by natural history, he spent years collecting and reading before deciding to travel to Brazil, supporting himself by selling specimens. After four years and sending back thousands of specimens, he returned as a respected member of British scientific circles, winning support for research in the East Indies. Costa provides fascinating, highly detailed accounts of these expeditions, during which Wallace killed, skinned, preserved, packed, and shipped more than 100,000 specimens. Unlike many collectors, he paid them close attention, recording their behavior, distribution, and relationships to similar species and making groundbreaking discoveries in biogeography, sexual selection, and protective coloration. He sent home torrents of writing, including his famous letter proposing natural selection. This revelation devastated Darwin, who had mulled over the idea for two decades. Priority for a discovery goes to whomever announces it publicly, which Darwin failed to do. Unwilling to adopt the usual tactic--i.e., announce quickly and claim sole credit--he published Wallace's paper together with his own early writing. Neither caused a stir, but Darwin immediately began writing On the Origin of Species. Wallace always gave Darwin full credit for natural selection, dedicated books to him, and carried on extensive correspondence. Aware of his money difficulties, Darwin and friends successfully lobbied for a government pension. All cringed after 1870 when Wallace took up spiritualism and claimed that only mysteriously creative forces, not natural selection, could produce the human brain. Although scandalized, they continued to respect his scientific talent, but this may have been the kiss of death for scholars, leading to his demotion from the Victorian pantheon. A superb biographical rehabilitation of an indispensable natural scientist. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
