Alfred Russel Wallace: Letters from the Malay Archipelago - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0199683999 ISBN 13: 9780199683994

Publisher: OUP Oxford, 2013

Synopsis

Physical description; xxxi, 319 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates: illustrations (some color), maps (some color); 24 cmIncludes bibliographical references and index. Summary; This volume brings together the letters of the great Victorian naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913) during his famous travels of 1854-62 in the Malay Archipelago (now Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia), which led him to come independently to the same conclusion as Charles Darwin: that evolution occurs through natural selection. Beautifully written, they are filled with lavish descriptions of the remote regions he explored, the peoples, and fascinating details of the many new species of mammals, birds, and insects he discovered during his time there. John van Wyhe and Kees Rookmaaker present new transcriptions of each of the letters, including recently discovered letters that shed light on the voyage and on questions such as Wallace's reluctance to publish on evolution, and why he famously chose to write to Darwin rather than to send his work to a journal directly. A revised account of Wallace's itinerary based on new research by the editors forms part of an introduction that sets the context of the voyage, and the volume includes full notes to all letters. Together the letters form a remarkable and vivid document of one of the most important journeys of the 19th century by a great Victorian naturalist. Subjects; Wallace, Alfred Russel 1823-1913. Natural history - Malay Archipelago. Naturalists - Great Britain - Correspondence. Natural history. Travel. Evolution (Biology) - History - 19th century. Natural selection. Voyages and travels. Ethnology. Biography. Indonesia. Malay Archipelago - Description and travel. Malay Peninsula. Evolution; Zoology & animal sciences; Popular science; History of science. Malaysia; c 1800 to c 1900. SCIENCE / History.

About this title

Product Description:

This volume brings together the letters of the great Victorian naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913) during his famous travels of 1854-62 in the Malay Archipelago (now Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia), which led him to come independently to the same conclusion as Charles Darwin: that evolution occurs through natural selection. Beautifully written, they are filled with lavish descriptions of the remote regions he explored, the peoples, and fascinating details of the many new species of mammals, birds, and insects he discovered during his time there.

John van Wyhe and Kees Rookmaaker present new transcriptions of each of the letters, including recently discovered letters that shed light on the voyage and on questions such as Wallace's reluctance to publish on evolution, and why he famously chose to write to Darwin rather than to send his work to a journal directly. A revised account of Wallace's itinerary based on new research by the editors forms part of an introduction that sets the context of the voyage, and the volume includes full notes to all letters.

Together the letters form a remarkable and vivid document of one of the most important journeys of the 19th century by a great Victorian naturalist.

Review:

The book is a valuable addition to the literature on Wallace. The editing is scrupulous and detailed but not intrusive. The texts have been retranscribed and corrected. The illustrations are attractive and judiciously chosen. This is an excellent introduction to the formative years. (Peter Raby, Literary Review)

it is good to have these letters in âhard copyâ, and, at £16.99, this volume represents excellent value. (Caroline Cornish, Journal of Historical Geography)

About this edition

• Publisher: OUP Oxford
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0199683999
• ISBN 13: 9780199683994
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 352
• Editor: Van Wyhe John, Rookmaaker Kees