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| The Descent of Man (Penguin Classics) | 
| Author: Charles Darwin
Creators: James Moore, Adrian Desmond
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Category: Book
List Price: $17.00
Buy New: $9.58
You Save: $7.42 (44%)
New (31) from $9.58
Avg. Customer Rating:  4 reviews
Sales Rank: 125174
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 864
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.3
Dimensions (in): 7.7 x 5 x 1.7
ISBN: 0140436316
Dewey Decimal Number: 599.938
EAN: 9780140436310
ASIN: 0140436316
Publication Date: June 29, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand new item. Over 3.5 million customers served. Order now. Selling online since 1995. Order with confidence. Code: B20080905212623T
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| Customer Reviews:
 The beginning of human evolution understanding... February 24, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
If you want to understand the human evolution, you might read the original though. Of course, there are some misunderstandings, then you might read considering the historical influence and personal conflicts of Charles Darwin. Essential for researchers on sexual selection.
 Freed our minds for relativity December 11, 2006
8 out of 112 found this review helpful
Just as "Origin of Species is misunderstood, I believe "Descent" to be also, although the latter is a more entertaining read. "Descent" fails to concentrate on man without deviating. It is a book of observations and study. It concentrates on how animal life, has, by sexual selection, brought forth the variety in the species we see today, through millions of years. Darwin covered his beloved pigeons in depth in "Origins" and continues at length on many other bird species in "Descent". I agree with him that all the different types of birds we see today probably came from one ancestor of the pigeon. This is called variation of kind. We see this in just about every living creature and flora. The problem arises when the next step is taken, the rise of one species turning into another (reptile to bird). Throughout the book Darwin does admit to this fact, but he still maintains that it must be, with much difficulty. He does hint to nature having some "power of thought", where does this come from? How does nature make these choices? Why did Darwin focus so on the black tribes: their practices, looks, sexuality, if he did not believe them a lower race? Of course he only hints at this, and his belief of evolving from apes is scant, but obvious. Does not the use of race to distinguish only separate? His theory on idiots as somehow lower is also disturbing. And what of the rudimentary parts and vestigial organs. As we progress in our scientific study we understand more on their uses, and there may be much we will never understand. In the end he gives a poor argument, and a convoluted book.
There is no doubt there is a tremendous amount of work that went into his book. It is a difficult and painful read, although there are many interesting and detailed observations. One does need to know his enemy. Darwin is not the originator of "evolution." There are many who came before him, since the dawn of time. He was influenced by numerous men of his time, some being more radical. Darwin was nothing new, he just maid it "hip." What he started has turned into the secular humanism the world has adopted. I don't think he meant for this disease to spread like it has. From his writings I understand him as an agnostic, but doubtful. I believed he struggled with the possibly of a deist. It is safe to say it was his only ambition till his dying day to prove "evolution" as proof of our existence. What of the missing fossil record?, he new they would be found. He was a confusing man.
150 years later and there still has been no intermediate fossils found to prove the case. In fact we are discovering more that validates creation.
Why don't we see a scale or a feather erupt occasionally on man? Is it because it is not in our DNA, and never was?
The theory of evolution caused Darwin to loose his faith and his experience has been repeated in countless lives. Evolution is an acid that eats away at the mind, a cancer.
One only needs to open the pages to Michael Behe's book, "Darwin's Black Box", to understand the futility of the evolutionary theory. The engines of life at the molecular level are so complex that there leaves no other possibility than a creator of the universe. There should be no excuse.
Charles Darwin: The English Da Vinci and a Valid Heretic. November 27, 2006
5 out of 16 found this review helpful
The 'Descent of Man' is really the better of his two earth-shattering books.He unleashed 'The Origin of the Species' book for the scientific rebels and christian theologians to chew on and debate.And then came ,'Descent of Man', and the book continues to fire mass debates everyday.The other great thinker of his day,was Karl Marx.And both men had their writings misunderstood and exploited by ruthless montebanks.I read some of the reviews for the 'Species' book.For the record,Hitler was an 'Anglo-phobe' and hated anything that was British.Hitler saw the writings of Darwin as 'English-Jewish Non-sense'.Hitler felt that his Aryan people were the true 'children of God',and uniquely seperate from other human pagan races. Hitler was an uneducted insane Christian,who almost enslaved the world with his 'Kernwaffen' and almost imposed his self-styled christian views on the planet.After 150 years of discussion,this Darwin book has freed the minds and hearts for all rational people. And this book continues to irritate the filthy apes that live in darkness and fear.
How is possible that I am the first to review this important book? October 30, 2006
28 out of 32 found this review helpful
This book takes off where "Origin of the Species" leaves off. In Origin, Darwin does not present his hypotheses on the origin of man, but in this book he states categorically that the human race is descended from earlier species of apes, which were descended from much more primitive life forms. The book is the work of a naturalist, and it is surprising how perceptive Darwin was, considering that this book was written in 1871. It faced a storm of rejection and tremendous furor. The book caused a storm of controversy throughout the entire world. Darwin sets out his facts as dispassionately as possible, but that did not stop many nations from banning the work. Darwin also clearly states in this important work that man is continuing to evolve. In this book Darwin states that the two main forms of selection that helped to shape the animals and humans the most through time are the theories of natural selection and sexual selection, and he explains the difference between these two often throughout the book. Even though the book is actually quite readable, I found it not an easy book to read. Even now these theories seem too much to be believed in some spots, but I do not argue at all with Darwin's theory. It is in fact the only way that the human race could have evolved. Definitely a must-read for anyone interested in "ground-breaking" literature.
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