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| On the Origin of Species: A Facsimile of the First Edition (Harvard Paperbacks) | 
| Author: Charles Darwin
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Category: Book
List Price: $19.50
Buy New: $5.65
You Save: $13.85 (71%)
New (21) from $5.65
Avg. Customer Rating:  14 reviews
Sales Rank: 275980
Media: Paperback
Edition: Facsimile
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 540
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 8.1 x 5.5 x 1.5
ISBN: 0674637526
Dewey Decimal Number: 575.0162
EAN: 9780674637528
ASIN: 0674637526
Publication Date: February 22, 2001
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Good Condition, delivery time 10 to 12 Working days, via Priority airmail from UK
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| Customer Reviews:
| Showing reviews 1-5 of 14 | | NEXT » |
 simple copy March 1, 2008
0 out of 3 found this review helpful
It's a simple copy of Darwin's work, with no frills. Good thick paper is about all I can say about it. As for Darwin's work, it can probably be summarized in a page-- the excess explanations are really unnecessary for understanding his theory on evolution.
 Are evolutionists racist? October 16, 2007
0 out of 34 found this review helpful
The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life was the original title, making it easy to see what Darwin is about. I could no easier spout Hitler. How much support would there be if all people knew the full title, intent and beliefs of Darwin.
A good facsimile of a great book September 26, 2007
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
I rate this four stars for the binding, not the contents. For a much greater price one can get a finer binding, but if one wishes to read or review the 1859 edition that Darwin rushed into print in order to prevent another putting essentially the same theory forward ahead of him, this is the book. There were a number of additional editions printed during Darwin's lifetime, reflecting later thoughts, but to see his thinking as of 1859, this is a good, and relatively scarce book to own. The copy I received from Amazon does not contain an Introductory essay. The binding appears to be perfect bound, and is a hardback. Contents: 5 stars, Binding: 4 stars
 Interesting, but the third edition is recommended December 27, 2005
20 out of 22 found this review helpful
Charles Darwin rushed his Origin to press when he became aware that he would be pre-empted with the theory of natural selection by Alfred Russell Wallace. In the course of the following few years he reviewed the manuscript thorougly at least twice. The Third edition is generally the standard. This facsimilie may be interesting for historical reasons, but I recommend the edition with Jilian Huxeley's introduction.
Many people assume that Darwin's initial account of natural selection is so out of date that it is to be avoided in favour of more recent text books of evolutionary theory. While it is true that huge gains have been made in the one and a half centuries since the first publication of "The Origin", there is nothing in this work which is wrong. Darwin was too good a scientist and too cautious.
Some claim that Darwin admitted of the possibility of Lamarkian mechanisms. They have not read the original. Darwin knew nothing of the molecular basis of genetics, but knew that natural selection did not need a Lamarkian mechanism. He simply did not rule it out, although he found it improbable. Everything that is stated in this great classic is as true today as it was at the time of first publication.
It is also said that Charles Darwin was a lesser intellectual when compared to most other great names of science; that he was a plodder, a naturalist, a sort of gentleman stamp collector who pressed flowers into his books and barely a scientist in the contemporary sense. This is nonsense. Darwin was one of the giants of rigorous systematic thinking; the kind of rigorous thinking and critical attitude that asks the right questions and provides the capacity to answer them. Let me buttress this claim with one example.
At the end of chapter six Darwin noted that the theory of natural selection could not account for structures or behaviors found in one species that exist solely for the benefit of another unrelated species. In setting out the theoretical terms for the refutation of the theory in this way, he anticipated Karl Popper, that analytical non-nonsense philosopher of science, by more than a century.
I recommend you read this book with an attentive curious analytical mind. You will find yourself walking in the footsteps of an intellectual giant.
The Most Accessible Scientific Masterpiece Ever Written December 21, 2005
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
Many love to read science whether it is the newest technological innovations for high definition TV's or we expose to learn more about the unified field theory or String Theory. Science leaves us with alot to explore. What is the scientific equivalent of Shakespeare's Folio's? Or perhaps Cervante's-Don Quioxte's? Many scientist may say Darwin's-Origin of Species. This fascimilie of the 1st edition which is full of elegent prose and vivid descriptions and analogies while later editions are less decisive and espouse more questions than answers is the edition to read. Which is a dated romantic language. So arguably the most important text written in English is also easy to read and understand with little thought primarily to Darwin clear use of prose. It is a book that has been most heavily criticised since its inception and publication in November 29, 1859 but it is now gaining the long overdue momentum accorded the works of Copernicus and Newton. Just bring your imagination along for the splendid ride.
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