false 3227494 1 February 12, 2009, will mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of two of the most extraordinary and influential men in recent history--Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin. While the coincidence of these two men being born on exactly the same day might fill astrologers with glee, further reflection points to many parallels and intersections in their lives. In this unique approach to history and biography, historian David R. Contosta examines the lives and careers of Lincoln (the political rebel) and Darwin (the scientific rebel), and notes many surprising and illuminating points of comparison. <P><P>Contosta points out that despite obvious differences--one born to a poorly educated, impoverished family on the American frontier, the other to a wealthy and prominent English family; one largely self-taught, the other with a degree from Cambridge; one a politician seeking the crowd's approval, the other a reclusive scientist--there are striking similarities between these seemingly disparate individuals. Both Lincoln and Darwin: <P>·Lost their mothers in childhood and later lost beloved children at young ages. <BR>·Had strained relations with their fathers. <BR>·Went through years of searching for a direction to their lives. <BR>·Struggled with religious doubt. <BR>·Were latter-day sons of the Enlightenment who elevated reason over religious revelation. <BR>·Suffered from severe bouts of depression. <BR>·Were ambitious as well as patient, with sure and steady mental powers rather than quick minds. <BR>·Possessed an excellent sense of pacing that allowed them to wait until the time was ripe for their ideas and leadership. <P>Contosta makes a compelling case that by studying the similarities (along with the differences) between these two giants of history we are able to understand each man better than by examining their lives in isolation. This approach also affords many insights into the factors that impel special individuals to lead great paradigm shifts. Today, as American society still struggles to come to grips with the impact of racial integration and controversies over the teaching of evolution, it is more important than ever to understand how two 19th-century rebels with revolutionary ideas helped to shape the present. 3261678 30 4 2008 Rebel Giants: The Revolutionary Lives of Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin total:6|5:1|4:2|3:2|2:1|1:0| 6 21 21 1 3 0 false false Wed Oct 14 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Aug 18 19:58:59 -0700 2009 Mon Oct 19 19:55:04 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Thu Jul 30 15:20:14 -0700 2009 Thu Jul 30 15:20:14 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Thu Jun 25 10:23:28 -0700 2009 Thu Jun 25 10:23:28 -0700 2009 4 0 false false Sat Jun 06 22:18:23 -0700 2009 Sat Jun 06 22:18:23 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Wed May 20 11:59:02 -0700 2009 Wed May 20 11:59:02 -0700 2009 4 0 false false Fri Apr 24 07:32:40 -0700 2009 Fri Apr 24 07:32:40 -0700 2009 3 0 false false Tue Mar 31 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Wed Apr 01 05:24:47 -0700 2009 Wed Apr 01 05:25:14 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Wed Mar 18 13:31:37 -0700 2009 Wed Mar 18 13:31:37 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Mon Feb 16 19:57:12 -0800 2009 Mon Feb 16 19:57:12 -0800 2009 0 0 false false Sun Feb 15 03:58:25 -0800 2009 Sun Feb 15 03:58:25 -0800 2009 0 0 false false Thu Feb 12 15:50:51 -0800 2009 Thu Oct 15 11:34:42 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Thu Feb 12 07:43:41 -0800 2009 Wed Feb 25 08:30:37 -0800 2009 0 0 false false Thu Feb 12 05:45:29 -0800 2009 Thu Feb 12 05:45:29 -0800 2009 5 0 false false Sat Jul 04 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Fri Feb 06 00:25:51 -0800 2009 Sat Jul 04 23:02:06 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Wed Feb 04 11:12:08 -0800 2009 Wed Feb 04 11:12:08 -0800 2009 0 0 false false Tue Feb 03 08:15:19 -0800 2009 Tue Feb 03 08:15:19 -0800 2009 2 0 false false Tue Apr 28 19:46:56 -0700 2009 Sun Feb 01 15:56:08 -0800 2009 Tue Apr 28 19:46:56 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Sat Dec 13 09:42:59 -0800 2008 Sat Dec 13 09:42:59 -0800 2008 0 0 false false Wed Sep 17 20:28:40 -0700 2008 Wed Sep 17 20:28:40 -0700 2008 0 0 false false Thu Aug 21 11:08:55 -0700 2008 Thu Aug 21 11:09:02 -0700 2008