On the Origin of Species: The Illustrated Edition

Wonderful annotated edition of Darwin’s classic work, brimming with drawings of the lands he visited and the specimens he collected on his round-the-world voyage and with lively descriptions from Darwin’s diary of the people he encountered and the events he witnessed. This is a great book. If I have one complaint it is that the tome is quite large and heavy.

This is a short and simple review as other reviewers have aptly described in detail all this book has to offer. When I received it, I rediscovered the joy you had when you were a child of opening up a book that you just knew you were going to treasure - the Origin itself, the illustrations (both drawings & pictures), the excerpts from Darwin's other writings and from the captain of the Beagle - all add to the experience. I thoroughly enjoyed getting lost in it this morning when it arrived as my delight grew as I turned it page by page. I bought it for me, but also with the intent to take it into the classroom to share with my students. This will arouse much more interest among them than a copy of just the Origin itself. Perusing the many illustrations can't help but draw you into reading the captions then some of Darwin's nearby words. Oh, I have no pretensions that the students will read it in it's entirely, but some of them will read some of it and seeing its gorgeous, rich treatment cannot but help them to respect the importance of Darwin's work. It is an expense but well worth Amazon's discounted price!For those students who might be put off from a large, heavy book, I purchased Daniel Loxton's  Evolution: How We and All Living Things Came to Be  which condenses the up-to-date scientific knowledge on evolution into one to two page bits by topic again heavy with illustrations but in very simple text.As to how I intend to get it into my students' hands? I intend to build one of my evolution labs such that the students will need to move station by station and will put these books (and maybe a couple of questions to make sure they open them) at one station. The rest of the time I will keep it on display at the front of the room available for checkout during down time and free reading periods. I will try to remember to let you know how it goes.

I downloaded the free version of "Origin," but got this one because it was only $2.99 and illustrated. The main reason I bought it was for the pictures because Darwin's extensive book covers so many animals and flowers that I wasn't actually sure which he was talking about for his examples. I'm not that much into botany, and am mostly familiar with either American or zoo animals so some of the Terra del Fuego or New Zealand examples were a little lost on me. This version contains over 250 pictures and illustrations that give a better understanding of the topics covered at hand. However, a great deal of the pictures were either of famous men (scientists, naturalists, etc.) and/or landscape shots. And of course, since this is a Kindle they are all in black and white, which normally wouldn't bother me (I knew what I was getting into when I ordered the Kindle, and I still love it), but most of the pictures are obviously color because the B&W contrast often makes it difficult to see the photo's subject clearly. And since so many of these pictures were not plants and animals, but people and landscapes, the whole "illustrated experience" of "Origin" is lacking. BTW, although not stated in this book, this version appears to be the Sixth Edition, which I found a little smoother to read than the free public domain First Edition of "Origin". Overall, a great purchase and well worth the price.

The quality of paper, period pictures, biographical and period information, and excerpts from his Voyage on the Beagle set this above other editions of The Origin of Species. It is a bit period in that the arguments and attention to details by Darwin; this makes this work tedious to the educated 21st century reader. This work is suited for those who desire to understand the level of academic analysis of the issue of species and forces of change in the mid-19th century; this work is above others. By our standard for information a better for lighter reading with insights is by Alan Moorehead; his Darwin and the Beagle (1969, and still in print). It stands above others works on Darwin in its style of writing, recreates Darwin’s voyage, and has ample period illustrations. Moorehead is among the best historians and writers. Which shoe fits you best?

This book is a nice annotated version of Darwin's Origin of Species. The quality of printing you get for the price is amazing. Suppose you get the bang for the buck, so to speak, because its printed in China. Overall Im very happy with my choice.Unfortumately the reviews that allowed me to correctly make this informed choice have been mixed up between this true to Darwin version of the book and the other, which is aparently studded with creationost nonsense. I tend to think the mixing of rewiews was purposeful, done by creationist "appologists" who wanted to confuse buyers. I wouldnt put it past the kind of people who are guided (blinded) by faith to use whatever means necessary to bring people into their apocalyptic fold.Whatever the reason for the mess, I hope amazon corrects it. It's plainly obvious that the text from the negative reviews are a copy and past job from the creationost version since the banana creationist guy's name isn't even in the info section of this book.To repeat, THIS IS THE RIGHT ONE. This is the historically accurate, scientifically sound, propaganda-less 150th anniversary edition of origin of species. This is the one you want to buy.And to the idiots who concocted this mixup: the rational, thinking, people, who buy this book wont fall for the kind of tricks you yahoos do, because they can see when a claim does or doesnt fit the data.

A wonderful book, both in its presentation and in its content. Basically, the book is a reprint of The Origin of Species. I found this particularly refreshing, in the sense that, originally, I thought that bits and parts of it will be displayed, or even a commentary. But here we have the real thing presented in a way that makes this publication a jewel of a book.However, it is also much more than that. An interesting feature is that it also includes many extracts from Darwin's other writings, including the Beagle notes, which provide a valuable background to the main text. Then there are the illustrations, which indeed give the whole publication a breath of its own. The artwork is beautiful, and the interest it attracts is riveting.This is not simply a reprint of Darwin's famous book. It is a collector's item; a special way to celebrate and commemorate that ground-breaking and revolutionary work which changed the lives of all of us.

I was expecting an original copy of the text but with colour illustrations. However, many of the illustrations appear to be unrelated to the text. Also, if you want the background 'DVD Extras' type book, with additional text and letters, then this is for you. A hefty tome - more coffee table than bedtime reading.Personally I want more original, less 'value add' - but then again, I never watch the DVD extras.Also the paper was slightly undulating as if it had become damp then dried out. Can't complain for the price though.Lots to love about this book for the price.

Although this is 'the real thing' and therefore not designed for children, I bought this book for my grandson for his sixth birthday, and he loves it. At the moment I am sure he is mostly pleased by the pictures, and he will need help to understand the style of writing, but I believe it is a book he will cherish and learn more and more from as he gets older. He is fascinated by nature so it is a book for him.CM

I bought the Kindle edition. There were a few illustrations in the introduction. All related to Darwin's life. A modern photograph of where he was born etc. but nothing to enhance the text of the work. returned for refund. Would have given it zero stars. The main text is out of copyright.

Seeing as I only placed this item in my basket while I considered uploading the app to read it, I was still charged by Amazon. Can I get a message thru? No. Can I get a refund? No.Not happy.