The Autobiography of Charles Darwin

Darwin wrote these recollections late in life, meaning them only for his children, and their quiet candor is part of their charm. He traces his unpromising school years, the voyage of the Beagle that changed everything, the slow growth of his theory of natural selection, and the methodical daily habits of a working scientist. He writes plainly about the loss of his religious faith and about how age dulled his early love of poetry and music. Modest, humane, and free of any pose, the book offers an intimate look at the mind behind one of the most important ideas in the history of science. Free to download as a PDF or EPUB.