Darwin: A Graphic Biography

by Eugene Byrne and Simon Gurr

Price: $9.95

ISBN 13: 1588343529

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Product Description

Darwin: A Graphic Biography is an inspiring expedition into the physical and intellectual adventures of Charles Darwin. Presenting Darwin's life in a smart and entertaining graphic novel, Darwin: A Graphic Biography attempts to not only educate the reader about Darwin but also the scientific world of the 1800s. The graphic medium is ideal for recreating a very specific time frame, succeeding in placing the reader right next to a young Darwin on a "beetling" expedition. With specimens in both hands, and anxious to get another, Darwin ends up stuffing the third beetle into his mouth. Darwin's life presented in this form is an inspirational tale for kids of all ages. They'll be sure to identify with a curious young Darwin finding his way on youthful adventures in the fields near his house. The ups, downs, and near-misses of Darwin's youth are portrayed honestly and without foreshadowing of his later fame. This is a key point for younger readers: that Darwin wasn't somehow predestined to greatness. He was curious, patient, and meticulous. He persevered--a great lesson about what science is all about.

Author Information

Eugene Byrne and Simon Gurr
EUGENE BYRNE is a freelance journalist whose work focuses on history and has been published in many periodicals, including BBC History. Darwin: A Graphic Biography is the third historical graphic novel on which Byrne and illustrator Simon Gurr have collaborated. SIMON GURR is a cartoonist and illustrator who has been producing web and print comics with a focus on educational illustration for more than twenty years.

Review Quotes

It is both witty and readable, and students who finish it will definitely have a better handle on the man and will see how his theories changed our understanding of the world. The black-and-white illustrations include cartoons, diagrams, and photographs, providing a good mix of scientific accuracy and humor that will make the subject matter more appealing.

—School Library Journal

A fine addition to outstanding graphic nonfiction, joining other famous graphic biographies of cultural icons like Richard Feynman, Hunter S. Thompson, The Carter Family, and Steve Jobs.

—Brain Pickings

Darwin: A Graphic Biography is aimed at 10- to 15-year-olds. However, it’s also sophisticated and detailed enough to give older readers a fantastic springboard into the life and scientific times of the world’s greatest biologist.

—Grovel

It's a careful tightrope Byrne and Gurr walk of making their subject accessible, while not reducing his ideas to talking points. I think they have done a great job with Darwin, while injecting some unexpected humor into a very serious subject.

—Bookslut

The book’s primary audience may be children and teenagers, but Byrne doesn’t dumb down the science; he simply gets to the core of it. As a result, Darwin: A Graphic Biography is fun and informative for readers of any age.

—ForeWord Reviews