Mr Darwin's Incredible Shrinking World: science and technology in 1859

by Peter Macinnis

Across a huge range of endeavour, 1859 was the year of mega change. At the beginning of that year Charles Darwin published "The Origin of Species". By year's end, other people, discoveries and inventions had changed the world forever, and society was converging in a global culture. It was a different world back then, a changing world, a shrinking world. This entertaining book by leading science and history writer Peter Macinnis tells the story of how it came about.

Genres: History, Science, Nonfiction, Biology, Medicine, Technology

320 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2008

About the author

During 2021, Macinnis has republished revised versions of all of his out-of-print books. The website listed above tells you how to get them. In 2024, he published The Lesser of Two Eagles, where you can learn that in an auction, you get something for nodding

Happy grandfather, travels, writes for adults and youngsters, mainly history or science. Published by the National Library of Australia (Australian Backyard Naturalist May 2012, another book Curious Minds October, 2012, Big Book of Australian History, 2013, 2015, 2017). Talks on ABC (RN), translated into 7 other languages. Winner of the W.A. Premier's Prize for Children's Literature 2013 and other awards.

Writing blog Old Writer on the Block. Google it and say g'day!

McManly on most social media. His Kokoda Track: 101 Days was a 2008 Eve Pownall Honour Book in the CBCA 'Book of the Year' awards. His Australian Backyard Explorer was the 2010 Eve Pownall Book of the Year (listed in 2011, in the prestigious international White Ravens list of children's literature). In 2012, his Australian Backyard Naturalist won a Whitley award, and the WA Premier's Children's Literature Award in 2013. After a few busy years doing other stuff, his Australian Backyard Earth Scientist won the long-winded Educational Publishing Awards Australia prize for best "Student Resource – Arts/Science/Humanities/Social Sciences/Technologies/Health and Physical Education/Languages ".

He has had half a dozen titles rated as "Notable Books" by the Children's Book Council of Australia: that's equivalent to short listing.

Reviews

[Peter Macinnis]

It's my book: I don't rate my own books. It looks handsome, though!

[Emma Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting, in the way of a collection of facts you can trot out during small talk.

[Kevin Aston Hoey · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok. It looked, almost in vignette form, at a wide range of social-political-economic-cultural-medical-scientific attitudes and events during the 1850s leading up to, and around the release of 'On the Origin of Species' by Darwin

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a wonderful look into the technologies of the past. I found it really insightful and interesting. A very enjoyable read!

[Cassandra Kay Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

It includes more technology than science, and just snibbets of information. But still enjoyable and fun.

[Gregarious · Rating 4 out of 5]

The scientific age gets seriously advanced.
Not the Moon Landing, but nonetheless a
Giant leap and a time which changed mankind
forever. Worth reading.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

excellent review of the world at the time of Darwin.