The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection: or, The Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life Audiobook

" This isn't a book you read for entertainment. If you're actually interested in science it's well written and very organized. "

" An important book of science that nonetheless is not as bold as I expected it to be. Certainly, Darwin himself is bold in his ideas, and he several times scoffs at those can't see the wisdom of his thoughts. But his studies, as he freely admits, are incomplete, and he hedges on some key points (some of which were cleared up by later science). Most surprising are his suggestions (1) that natural selection is the key, but not the only, method of species development; (2) that natural selection does not close the door on abiogenesis (life from non-life) by a creator; and (3) that his entire theory could fail if such-and-such an experiment is found to be false. Writing in the pre-DNA days, it's no surprise that there are (by our modern standards) scientific issues with the text. But surprising what he came up with with just a microscope and a whole lot of time to think while watching birds on the Galapagos Islands. The book lacks sufficient detail to be a rigorous peer-reviewed text, but sometimes drones on and one about experiments that, through exciting for a geologist or biologist, do nothing to bring the general reader along. But despite its deficiencies, it was certainly a book for the ages. "

" The issue I find most difficult as far as evolotionary theory by random mutation is in wondering if there really has been enought time. Darwin dealt intelligently with this issue, however I still have reservations as in fact does increasingly, the scientific community (epigenetics etc.) I could never understand why people felt Darwin and Lamarck are opposed and if you read this book you will find they personally were not (at least not Darwin to Lamarck) Darwin writes extremely well and proves himself to be a scientist of the first calibre. "

" Can be tough going, but some of it is written so elloquently it is a piece of art, other parts seem to labour on. "

" Interesting. Repetitive. Not for freshmen. Didn't finish. "

" I read this more than a decade ago and aim to re-read it, if I can find it. An extraordinary piece of enlightenment. "

" When man sees a horizon that goes beyond the obvious view that evolution is the only explanation, and with it new questions, because the evolutionary process is continuous. "

" It's the stuff I learnt at school, but reading the book I understand the implications. Starting to explain natural selection by man in domesticated animals is a work of genius. "

" i don't know, something about pigeons "

" What is amazing is that most of what he wrote then is still relevant in biology today and that this book can still teach to a modern public two or three things about evolution. Easy and amazing to read. "

" I'm pretty familiar with the theory of evolution, so to be honest I did a lot of skimming. But I still really enjoyed the book. There's a lot of fascinating biological information bits discussed about this and that animal, etc. "

" Far too heavy going! Had to put it down...! "

" Brilliant. Earth-shaking. Genius. One of THE MOST important books ever published. "

" Completely destroyed religion...And I love it...Amen!...blessings "

" Interesting picture of Upperclass Victorian England. I was surprised how accessable most of the text was and how well the concepts were illustrated, I guess that is why it has lasted so long. "

" Tough to read, but so valuable to understand. "

" A fantastic book. Darwin's voice is all his own and so were his ideas. This was quite an achievement at the time and it is still important today. "

" Well, I have started it. I'm keeping a notebook handy, for the first to pages of the introduction I have already written a whole page of notes. It is going to be a while before I finish this book. "

" It is amazing to discover how timeless Darwin's writing was. While much has changed of our understanding of evolution after 150 more years of research, a reading of The Origin will remind you how prescient Darwin was in the 1850's. "

" This book is must read for any one interested in life science .this book is the basis for many new researches .i read the e-book and missed few photographs to support the contents. "

" whole thing about the theory of evolution from a great zoologist point of view "

" The introduction by Ray is completely whackjob religious dogma. Keep your Christ-saviour-pandering out of a book that actually has scientific merit, please and thanks! "

" Everyone should read through this at least once in their lives. "

" Read this for my senior seminar class in college. I've never seen a book with more run-on sentences in my life. I hate to not finish a book, but I would not have finished this one except that I had to for my class. "

" Fascinating read, glad it's over. ;) "

" Lengthy book that deserves to be read. "

" For most people born in the last or this century, it will be passe, but this book changed my life. "

" Can I give it six stars? Amazing insights on every page, it is incredible reading the mind of a genius. "

" A very deep read. I think I need to read it a few more times to fully grasp everything. "

" One of the most important books ever written. I wish I'd read it 30 years sooner. "

" The book is a breathtaking work of science. Its beautiful, no-nonsense, large structure is simple: example, example, example ... synthesis! Repeat that formula as necessary to complete the book. I just LOVED this book and came away feeling so much smarter because I read it. "

" I had to read this for a class, and blah! "

" I found it very, very dense and difficult to read. "