Amazon.com Book Description (ISBN 0762421363, Hardcover)

For the first time ever in one volume, here are four of the most influential works of Charles Darwin, reprinted in their entirety, each illuminated by commentary from eminent scientist James D. Watson. With this exciting anthology, readers can trace the evolution of Darwin's own thought processes as he challenges conventional wisdom, unveils fundamental laws of nature, and documents the outstanding power and creativity that drives evolution. Included in this anthology are On the Origin of Species, arguably the most important scientific work of the nineteenth century; Voyage of the Beagle, a captivating travelogue richly stocked with observations that helped guide the young Darwin through his evolutionary world view; The Descent of Man, which explored the origins of humans and their history; and The Expressions of Emotions in Man and Animals, which explored the origin and nature of the mind. Darwin stated that "man with all his noble qualities . . . still bears in his bodily frame the indelible stamp of his lowly origin." With his introductory essay, Dr. Watson reveals the inexorable link between Darwin's indelible stamp and its modern representation within the DNA studies pioneered by Dr. Watson, himself. With his separate introductions for each of Darwin's books he goes further to explain how the modern considerations underlying genome research would have been impossible without Darwin, bringing a contemporary relevance to these nineteenth century masterworks.