A Remarkable Journey

Reviews / Votes

an engaging account of the diverse people, observations, experiments, analyses, and controversies that led to an increasingly cohesive theory. This is all accomplished in a more lucid and readable manner than has been done in previous publications, resulting in a comprehensive overview of peoples understanding of evolution. Thompson covers Darwins precursors, Darwin himself, the contributions from biometrics, Mendel, the modern synthesis, the discovery and role of DNA, sociobiology, and evo-devo. The latter two are arguably covered too briefly, but that is a minor complaint for a major accomplishment . . . Highly recommended. * <i>Choice</i> * Evolutionary science is over 150 years old now. Thompsons book gives a delightful overview of how it was born, how it struggled through adolescence, and how it reached the mature state one can witness today. The book explains the main ideas and introduces the key scientists in a way that makes it an interesting read, both for non-scientists and for scholars from outside biology . . . I much enjoyed reading Thompsons book, which gave me quite a bit of insight into the history of the field of evolutionary science. It is an excellent choice for anyone who is interested in learning more about Darwins fascinating creation. * <i>Metascience</i> * This is a lucid, compelling, and very instructive exposition of evolutionary theory. Thompson explains the crucial concepts of evolutionary theory in accessible terms, introduces its key proponents, and recounts its many fierce debates and controversies from the time of Darwins groundbreaking publication up to the encompassing and robust theory that it is today . . . Readers interested in an accessible and comprehensive overview of evolutionary theory, its history, and key players will be delighted by this thorough exposition. * <i>The Quarterly Review of Biology</i> * Recommending a readable book on evolutionary biology for non-scientists has been a challenge A Remarkable Journey solves this problem. R. Paul Thompson traces the history of ideas, the key players and the controversies in a wonderfully engaging style. This book will appeal to all with a thirst for knowledge about one of the greatest achievements of science. * Professor Spencer C. H. Barrett, University of Toronto * This is a remarkable book about a remarkable journey. Evolution is one of the most exciting discoveries ever made organisms, including humans, are the end result of a long, slow process of development. Yet, the very idea is deeply threatening to many who fear it destroys the tight little world in which they live. Paul Thompson gives us an energetic and engaged history of the science, including an introduction to the all-important English naturalist Charles Darwin, leading to a full discussion of what we know about evolution today, ending with a brief but incisive and sympathetic discussion of the relevance of the idea of evolution to religious thought. This book is highly recommended, not just for the general reader but also for the expert who wants a fresh look at the topic. * Michael Ruse, Lucyle T. Werkmeister Professor of Philosophy and Director of the History and Philosophy of Science Program at Florida State University *