Evolution Reading List

 

Darwin and the Barnacle — Rebecca Stott  

The story of Darwin’s eight-year immersion in barnacle research, beginning with an unusual specimen collected in Chile. Stott shows how this seemingly narrow obsession helped him investigate variation, build his scientific reputation, and prepare to present his theory of evolution—all amid family life, illness, and personal loss. 

Darwin’s Ghosts — Rebecca Stott  

A history of the thinkers who explored the possibility of evolutionary change before Darwin. Through interconnected portraits of figures including Aristotle, Diderot, and Lamarck, Stott shows how evolutionary ideas developed over centuries, often in the face of religious and political opposition, rather than appearing through one person’s isolated breakthrough. 

Radical by Nature — James T. Costa  

A biography of Alfred Russel Wallace, who independently discovered natural selection and became Darwin’s friend and supporter. It follows his rise from modest beginnings through adventurous collecting expeditions, while exploring both his scientific achievements and his unconventional commitments to socialism, spiritualism, women’s rights, and social reform.