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Darwin
by
Ruth Padel
This remarkable book brings us an intimate and moving interpretation of the life and work of Charles Darwin, by Ruth Padel, an acclaimed British poet and a direct descendant of the famous scientist.
Charles Darwin, born in 1809, lost his mother at the age of eight, repressed all memory of her, and poured his passion into solitary walks, newt collecting, and shooting. His fi...more
Charles Darwin, born in 1809, lost his mother at the age of eight, repressed all memory of her, and poured his passion into solitary walks, newt collecting, and shooting. His fi...more
Hardcover, 141 pages
Published
November 23rd 2011
by Alfred A. Knopf
(first published March 2nd 2009)
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I like the places in this book, the sense of place, whether city or country—the description of Darwin's father's estate in "The Miser", the dark streets and slip-passages in "The Efficacy of Prayer", the rooms in Christ's College, Cambridge, as described in the first part of "The Coddington Microscope".
The poems in the second section of the book, about Darwin's voyage on the Beagle, are wonderfully full of nature, of the tropics, of the sea: "The d...more
The poems in the second section of the book, about Darwin's voyage on the Beagle, are wonderfully full of nature, of the tropics, of the sea: "The d...more
Padel, a descendent of Darwin and holder now of the Oxfor Poetry Professorship, draws extensively from Darwin's scientific journals as well as from his personal journals. In many poems she uses Darwin's own clear descriptive prose (usually edited for brievity and scanson). But what is outstanding about this book is how in 140 pages of poems Padel has presented us with the scope of his scientific career and juxtaposed it with events in his personal life. As his work continued over the years, he a...more
We try to restrain these passions that derive from our descent.
--"What is an Emotion?"
This book delivers what the subtitle promises: "a life in poems." Skillfully selecting ideas from Darwin's journals, facts about his life, and remarks by people who know him, Ruth Padel (a direct descendant) constructs a portrait of the man that resonates with passion and complexity. The poems are skillfully written, accessible, and (from everythi...more
--"What is an Emotion?"
This book delivers what the subtitle promises: "a life in poems." Skillfully selecting ideas from Darwin's journals, facts about his life, and remarks by people who know him, Ruth Padel (a direct descendant) constructs a portrait of the man that resonates with passion and complexity. The poems are skillfully written, accessible, and (from everythi...more
Ruby
rated it
Recommends it for:
those interested in Darwin and/or poetry
Recommended to Ruby by:
book review
Ruth Padel is Darwin's great-great-granddaughter, so had access to his letters & journals. Her poems include many of his own words, and go from school, university, his long voyage on The Beagle, his return and his marriage to Emma, the children, and the development of his theories. The book humanizes him so very well, especially in his sensitivity to Emma's fears that he would not go to heaven. She hopes that God will not throw out a son who searched so earnestly for truth. I'm reading it aga...more
For a biography written in poems, this book was quite readable. I learned a lot about Darwin that I didn't know before. For example, I didn't know he married one of Josiah Wedgwood's daughters, or that they had ten children, or that his tenth child had Down syndrome. I appreciated the notes that accompany each poem, providing the reader with the background behind them; however, I wish those notes had been in a bigger font! One note was particularly interesting (p.115): "Asked afterwards...more
DARWIN, A Life in Poems, by Ruth Padel, New York, Alfred A. Knopf, 2009.
Ruth Padel has written a brilliant book. It is a historical biography written in poetry with side notes. The titles are worth the price of the book. They are printed in CAPITAL LETTERS. She said that she gave up tenure in 1985 to write poems.
Padel has a poem called, ON ASKING A MUSEUM GUARD TO DRAW THE CURTAIN EFORE TITIAN’S VENUS . She says that Darwin went to see it in the museum, though the one he...more
Ruth Padel has written a brilliant book. It is a historical biography written in poetry with side notes. The titles are worth the price of the book. They are printed in CAPITAL LETTERS. She said that she gave up tenure in 1985 to write poems.
Padel has a poem called, ON ASKING A MUSEUM GUARD TO DRAW THE CURTAIN EFORE TITIAN’S VENUS . She says that Darwin went to see it in the museum, though the one he...more
The idea of a biography in poems struck me as rather odd at first, but it ended up being very effective. Perhaps it would be more difficult with a less documented life than Darwin's: the sort of beautiful image or moment of transcendance that poetry loves to explore is precisely the sort of thing Darwin noted in his journals. I found the poems stronger in the more adult sections, probably for exactly this reason.
We can't know another person's life, no matter how thoroughly that life ...more
We can't know another person's life, no matter how thoroughly that life ...more
I was excited when I heard about this book, but a bit disappointed after I read it. I didn't find the language to be particularly lyrical, and too many of the poems incorporated Darwin's own writings. On the positive side, Padel's book did ecourage me to think about Darwin's life in new ways.
Goodness knows what Darwin would have made of this. I enjoyed it, but more for his words than Ruth Padel's, perhaps.
I'll post my review on Sunday, when it officially appears in the Winnipeg Free Press.
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