Of Moths and Men
An Evolutionary Tale: The Untold Story of Science and the Peppered Moth
Published on 21. January 2004
Book
Paperback/Softback
406 pages
978-0-393-32525-6 (ISBN)
Description
In the 1950s, a British physician and amateur lepidopterist named H. B. D. Kettlewell went into the English woods to catch "evolution in action" among the now-famous Peppered Moths. His work became "Darwin's missing evidence," an evolutionary experiment as influential as any in the last century. Compellingly told, Of Moths and Men reveals Kettlewell to be a deluded scientist, a man tyrannized by his mentor, the powerful E. B. Ford, an imperious, eccentric Oxford don, a Darwinian zealot determined to crush all enemies in his path. In a revelatory, controversial work that will be debated for years to come, Judith Hooper uncovers the intellectual rivalries, petty jealousies, and faulty science behind one of the most famous experiments-and myths-in the history of evolutionary biology. Finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.
Reviews / Votes
"[Hooper] tells her story with sensitivity and grace...[a] skillful synthesis of scientific and human detail." -- Evening Standard "Hooper shows...gentleness and respect, creating a moving and compassionate portrait." -- New York Times Book Review "[C]onsiderable narrative gusto while painting vivid portaits of key players....the book is never dull." -- Scotland on Sunday "[A] timely and intriguing tale." -- Sunday Times [London] "An extraordinary, even-handed, highly entertaining and scrupulously researched book." -- Times Literary Supplement "A riotous story of ambition and deceit....demonstrates delightfully how the theory of evolution evolved." -- Dava Sobel "A fascinating account a story of hard work, brilliant insights, and human foibles." -- Ernst Mayr, Alexander Agassiz Professor of Zoology, Emeritus, at Harvard University "A mesmerising book....I have no doubt it will be a classic." -- Frank Ryan, author of The Forgotten Plague and Virus X "A stunning revelation of evolutionary theory and practice. Hooper contributes significantly to the history of science scholarship." -- Lynn Margulis, Distinguished University Professor of Geoscience, University of MassachussettsMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Illustrations
8 pages of illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 210 mm
Width: 148 mm
Thickness: 24 mm
Weight
586 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-393-32525-6 (9780393325256)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Judith Hooper has written for The Atlantic Monthly, the New York Times Book Review, and many other publications; she is the author of The Three-Pound Universe. She lives in Amherst, Massachusetts.