Changes

1. [https://www.amazon.com/Victorian-Sensation-Extraordinary-Publication-Authorship/dp/0226744116/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1508132572&sr=1-1&keywords=victorian+sensation Victorian Sensation: The Extraordinary Publication, Reception, and Secret Authorship of Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation by James A. Secord]. This groundbreaking work deals with the publication of a work entitled The Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation, published anonymously in 1844 by a geologist named Robert Chambers. Many don’t know this, but Chambers’ treatise was instrumental in laying the groundwork for the reception of Darwin’s theory of evolution in 1859.

2. [https://www.amazon.com/Charles-Darwin-Biography-Vol-Voyaging/dp/0691026068/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1508132599&sr=1-1&keywords=browne+darwin Charles Darwin: A Biography, Vol. 1 – Voyaging & Vol. 2 – The Power of Place by Janet Browne]. Most historians of science see Browne’s two-part biography of Charles Darwin as the most thorough and engaging work on Darwin’s life and the creation of his theory of evolution by natural selection. Browne draws on countless sources, including personal letters and journals to give her reader a crystal-clear picture of Darwin’s frame of mind before publishing On the Origin of Species in 1859.

3. [https://www.amazon.com/Politics-Evolution-Morphology-Conceptual-Foundations/dp/0226143740/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1508132631&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Politics+of+Evolution+by+Adrian+Desmond The Politics of Evolution by Adrian Desmond]. This work, as its name suggests, deals with how ideas about evolution were taken up by reform-minded and politically frustrated artisans to further reformist agendas.

4. [https://www.amazon.com/Evolution-History-Peter-J-Bowler/dp/0520261283/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1508132655&sr=1-1&keywords=Evolution%3A+The+History+of+an+Idea+by+Peter+J.+Bowler Evolution: The History of an Idea by Peter J. Bowler]. This is a great work for those who are looking for a primer on this history of evolutionary thought both before and after Charles Darwin. It offers a wealth of references for those who wish to further pursue the topic.

6. [https://www.amazon.com/Darwins-Ghosts-Secret-History-Evolution/dp/0812981707/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1508132697&sr=1-1&keywords=darwin%27s+ghosts Darwin’s Ghosts: The Secret History of Evolution by Rebecca Stott]. This far-reaching work seeks to explore evolutionary ideas that preceded Darwin by centuries. Stott gives credence to the bravery of evolutionary theorists, from Aristotle to Darwin, for their willingness to defy societal norms.

7. [https://www.amazon.com/Darwins-Sacred-Cause-Slavery-Evolution/dp/0547055269/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1508132731&sr=1-1&keywords=Darwin%E2%80%99s+Sacred+Cause%3A+How+a+Hatred+of+Slavery Darwin’s Sacred Cause: How a Hatred of Slavery Shaped Darwin’s Views on Human Evolution by Adrian Desmond and James Moore]. This relatively new work examines Darwin’s views on evolution as a product of his passionate hatred of slavery. The authors posit that Darwin’s abolitionist passion ultimately compelled him to publish his theory on evolution, despite its notions being extremely controversial at the time.

10. [https://www.amazon.com/Victorian-Science-Context-Bernard-Lightman/dp/0226481123/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1508132148&sr=1-1&keywords=Victorian+Science+in+Context+by+Bernard+Lightman Victorian Science in Context by Bernard Lightman]. While this book is not solely about evolutionary theory, it is, arguably, one of the best works on Victorian science and society ever published. It masterfully illustrates the climate in which evolutionary theory was received.