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A review by kevin_shepherd
A Modest Genius: The story of Darwin's Life and how his ideas changed everything by Hanne Strager
4.0
A well-turned, albeit condensed, biographical view of Charles Darwin and how his ideas have forever altered our perception of the world.
Strager is a biologist and a flat-out fantastic writer. She has a gift for getting to the meat of a matter without all the superfluous academic gobbledygook. This is not a deep, introspective analysis, but rather an entertaining and enlightening overview that should appeal to almost anyone with a curious (and open) mind.
That said, I do have a small issue with her characterization of Charles' father and their relationship. I quote Strager:
• "...scribbling down his memoirs, the words came back to him. "You care for nothing but shooting, dogs, and rat-catching, and you will be a disgrace to yourself and all your family", his father had once yelled at him when he was a boy." (pg 1)
• "...the family resided in a gloomy mansion known as "The Mount"." (pg 1)
• "...his authoritarian father..." (pg 22)
Strager is not the only Darwin biographer to frame his father as something of a tyrant. I see it more often than not in almost everything I read. It may indeed be true, but the evidence, as I see it, just doesn't seem to align with such a harsh conclusion. Robert Darwin was a doctor who was tirelessly attentive to the needs of his patients, there are countless letters that attest to this. He was known to give gifts of food and cash and free medical attention in times of need. He established an "infants' school" at rather great expense to himself, and he made sure that all of his children, especially Charles, were well provided for and would never want for anything.
Yes, Robert Darwin had occasion to yell, 'You'll never amount to anything if you don't change your ways!' Jesus, what parent doesn't say that at some point to every child on the planet? Yes, Robert had serious reservations about Charles sailing to South America on the Beagle, but after seeing the utter disappointment in his Son's eyes, he gave him an opportunity for redress, and ultimately consented. Nay, beyond consent, he paid all his expenses so that Charles was not beholding or obligated to the British Admiralty - his discoveries and collections were his and his alone.
If Robert Darwin's words don't paint a portrait of a loving, caring father, his actions surely speak otherwise.
Strager is a biologist and a flat-out fantastic writer. She has a gift for getting to the meat of a matter without all the superfluous academic gobbledygook. This is not a deep, introspective analysis, but rather an entertaining and enlightening overview that should appeal to almost anyone with a curious (and open) mind.
That said, I do have a small issue with her characterization of Charles' father and their relationship. I quote Strager:
• "...scribbling down his memoirs, the words came back to him. "You care for nothing but shooting, dogs, and rat-catching, and you will be a disgrace to yourself and all your family", his father had once yelled at him when he was a boy." (pg 1)
• "...the family resided in a gloomy mansion known as "The Mount"." (pg 1)
• "...his authoritarian father..." (pg 22)
Strager is not the only Darwin biographer to frame his father as something of a tyrant. I see it more often than not in almost everything I read. It may indeed be true, but the evidence, as I see it, just doesn't seem to align with such a harsh conclusion. Robert Darwin was a doctor who was tirelessly attentive to the needs of his patients, there are countless letters that attest to this. He was known to give gifts of food and cash and free medical attention in times of need. He established an "infants' school" at rather great expense to himself, and he made sure that all of his children, especially Charles, were well provided for and would never want for anything.
Yes, Robert Darwin had occasion to yell, 'You'll never amount to anything if you don't change your ways!' Jesus, what parent doesn't say that at some point to every child on the planet? Yes, Robert had serious reservations about Charles sailing to South America on the Beagle, but after seeing the utter disappointment in his Son's eyes, he gave him an opportunity for redress, and ultimately consented. Nay, beyond consent, he paid all his expenses so that Charles was not beholding or obligated to the British Admiralty - his discoveries and collections were his and his alone.
If Robert Darwin's words don't paint a portrait of a loving, caring father, his actions surely speak otherwise.