On the Origin of Species
by Charles Darwin & James Costa
🏆 A Five Books Most Recommended Book
On the Origin of Species is Charles Darwin’s book on evolution that changed our understanding of the world, and our place in it, irrevocably. It is one of our most recommended books on Five Books.
Recommendations from our site
“An educated person is someone who knows at least a little bit about the major disciplines in human endeavour. And in biology, this is what you need to know – not only historically but also contemporaneously, because Darwin was right, and still is right, about so many things.” Read more...
Jerry Coyne, Biologist
“It is one of the most important books written, and I always urge people to read it.” Read more...
Mark Kurlansky, Science Writer
“What he had done was to provide an explanation for how evolution occurred, and this was natural selection. This was Darwin’s great insight and what that did was to provide the explanation of how and why all of life was linked together.” Read more...
Tim White, Biologist
“For me (and many others) this book forms the foundation for modern biology. It is all about humans’ concept of themselves.” Read more...
The best books on Earth History
Adam Maloof, Environmentalist
“It utterly changed the point of view of humankind. Beforehand it was impossible to think otherwise than that humanity and the earth were at the centre of the universe.” Read more...
The best books on Ideas that Matter
A C Grayling, Philosopher
Commentary
“Everybody has read Mr. Darwin’s book, or, at least, has given an opinion upon its merits or demerits; pietists, whether lay or ecclesiastic, decry it with the mild railing which sounds so charitable; bigots denounce it with ignorant invective; old ladies of both sexes consider it a decidedly dangerous book, and even savants, who have no better mud to throw, quote antiquated writers to show that its author is no better than an ape himself”
“With Mr. Darwin’s ‘argument’ we may say in the outset that we shall have much and grave fault to find. But this does not make us the less disposed to admire the singular excellences of his work”
Samuel Wilberforce's lengthy takedown of the Origin of Species, Quarterly Review, 1860
“No naturalist has devoted more painstaking attention to the structure of the barnacles than Mr. Darwin.”
Which edition of On the Origin of Species should I read?
In his interview on evolution, evolutionary biologist and author Jerry Coyne recommended the ‘annotated’ version of On the Origin of Species “which is a facsimile of the First Edition (the best edition for general readers), with marginal notes that explain the hard bits.” If that’s too difficult, he says: “There’s also another book that explains it in more detail. It’s called An Interpretive Guide to the Origin of Species by David Reznick, with an introduction by Michael Ruse. They’re trying to re-explain The Origin in modern prose. If you have trouble with The Origin, you might want to consult that. But I think the annotated version I recommend might be sufficient.”