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Peter Raby

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Alfred Russel Wallace: A Life Paperback – September 1, 2002

by Peter Raby (Author)

4.4 49 ratings

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In 1858, Alfred Russel Wallace, aged thirty-five, weak with malaria, isolated in the Spice Islands, wrote to Charles Darwin: he had, he said excitedly, worked out a theory of natural selection. Darwin was aghast--his work of decades was about to be scooped. Within two weeks, his outline and Wallace's paper were presented jointly in London. A year later, with Wallace still on the opposite side of the globe, Darwin published On the Origin of Species.

This new biography of Wallace traces the development of one of the most remarkable scientific travelers, naturalists, and thinkers of the nineteenth century. With vigor and sensitivity, Peter Raby reveals his subject as a courageous, unconventional explorer and a man of exceptional humanity. He draws more extensively on Wallace's correspondence than has any previous biographer and offers a revealing yet balanced account of the relationship between Wallace and Darwin.

Wallace lacked Darwin's advantages. A largely self-educated native of Wales, he spent four years in the Amazon in his mid-twenties collecting specimens for museums and wealthy patrons, only to lose his finds in a shipboard fire in the mid-Atlantic. He vowed never to travel again. Yet two years later he was off to the East Indies on a vast eight-year trek; here he discovered countless species and identified the point of divide between Asian and Australian fauna, 'Wallace's Line.'

After his return, he plunged into numerous controversies and published regularly until his death at the age of ninety, in 1913. He penned a classic volume on his travels, founded the discipline of biogeography, promoted natural selection, and produced a distinctive account of mind and consciousness in man. Sensitive and self-effacing, he was an ardent socialist--and spiritualist. Wallace is one of the neglected giants of the history of science and ideas. This stirring biography--the first for many years--puts him back at center stage, where he belongs.

Print length

368 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Princeton University Press
Publication date

September 1, 2002
Dimensions

6.06 x 0.8 x 9.06 inches
ISBN-10

0691102406
ISBN-13

978-0691102405
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Alfred Russel Wallace
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"With this marvelously readable biography of Alfred Russel Wallace, Raby has rescued [this] forgotten pioneer from oblivion. . . . In capturing the cross-grained complexities of this exceptional collector of beetles and birds, Raby gives readers a fascinating specimen of the most mysterious and unpredictable species of all." ― Booklist

"Raby's accomplished study is the first in some years and adds greater insight into this likeable underdog's personality." ― Publishers Weekly

"Even by Victorian standards, Wallace was a titan of self-effacement. . . . If this well-researched and graceful biography doesn't solve the riddle of Wallace, it nicely conveys the riddle's many dimensions. . . . [Wallace was] a man, in short, who occasionally struck colleagues as a crackpot; and yet, in the end, a man who was in some ways more admirable than the much-admired Darwin."---Robert Wright, New York Times Book Review

"Wallace was the author of some 20 books and 700 other publications. . . . Raby has worked with these sources over several years and supplemented them with examinations of unpublished notebooks and letters. . . . He has produced a congenial account of Wallace's life, major interests, and activities for the general reader."---Gareth Nelson, Science

"Peter Raby's life of Wallace catches the charm, daring, and high- seriousness of the age, while scrupulously measuring Wallace's distinction as a man and a scientist."---Guy Davenport, New Criterion

"[It] provides a focused and balanced narrative of Wallace's life, in which his exotic travels are placed in the context of his eventful life story. . . .I would recommend this tastefully illustrated book to general readers as a good introduction to one of Britain's more charismatic and difficult figures of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries."---Jane R. Camerini, Nature

"A well-researched, graceful biography." ― New York Times Book Review

"A revealing look at a humble hero of science." ― Library Journal

"An engaging account of Wallace's long, eventful, and extraordinarily productive life."---Richard Milner, Natural History

"This authoritative biography is an excellent and inspiring read."---Hannah Atkins, New Scientist

"Raby makes the latter part of Wallace's life as interesting as his years in the bush and cultivates in the reader a great affection for the man and his intellectual and physical energy." ― National Geographic Adventure

"Whatever the cause, Wallace has emerged from the shadows and is taking his rightful place in the history of science. Relying heavily on Wallace's published works, Raby's sympathetic, highly conventional biography relates the naturalist's life from start to finish."---Edward J. Larson, Washington Post Book World

"This book provides an excellent way to understand more about one of the key figures [in the history of biology]. . . If even for a moment, Peter Raby is able to allow Alfred Russel Wallace to step out from the shadow of Darwin."---Frank T. Kuserk, Ecology

"Readable, modestly priced, and rich in fascinating observational, personal, and family anecdotes. . . . In his dynamicism, drive, and persistence in the field, Alfred Russel Wallace was remarkable."---Allen Keast, The Quarterly Review of Biology

"An attractive popular introduction to Wallace as a person, set in the context of his life and times."---Sarah Watkinson, Times Literary Supplement

"A well-researched and graceful biography." ― New York Times Book Review

Review

"This delightfully written biography is a real find. The subject is timely, and the author brings a lively sensibility and sympathy to Wallace's situation in the evolutionary story without falling prey to over-sensationalist hysteria. Wallace had a marvelously interesting life and deserves the extensive treatment that he has been given here. The chapters concerning Wallace's travels simultaneously convey the intensity of the experience and the achievements and dangers. Further, he treats the Victorian context with a light and sure touch."―Janet Browne, author of Voyaging, a biography of Charles Darwin

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Princeton University Press (September 1, 2002)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 368 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0691102406
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0691102405
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.14 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.06 x 0.8 x 9.06 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #2,140,083 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,604 in Philosopher Biographies
- #3,042 in Journalist Biographies
- #3,941 in Scientist Biographies

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4.4 49 ratings

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Daniel Putman

Clear and well-written life of an often forgotten figure

Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2015

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Raby's biography of Alfred Russel Wallace is extremely clear and easy to read. It has plenty of details about his life, including his relationship with Darwin and his adventures in South America and Indonesia/New Guinea. It is noticeable that Raby is a lecturer in English because he knows how to write well. Transitions are excellent and unusual terms and phrases are carefully explained. Most of the book flows extremely well. On the other hand, as some other reviewers have pointed out, the book is not as detailed as a more fully scientific biography might have been. But as a non-scientist I found more than enough detail to make Wallace's life and career a fascinating read.

Raby lays out Wallace's remarkably open relationship with Darwin, unusual for two people who publicly presented critical new ideas nearly simultaneously. The debate about priority is covered specifically in the last chapter but relevant portions of the extant letters between Darwin and Wallace are spelled out in the main body of the text. The heart of the book is Wallace's adventures in the tropics as a Victorian naturalist. They display Wallace's courage and incredible determination to find and analyze new species. The maps are superb and allow the reader to follow Wallace's travels in detail. Raby also shows Wallace's typical Victorian attitudes and actions that disturb modern readers, from shooting specimens of orangutans and birds of paradise (so that they could be sent back to England) to attitudes toward natives. Wallace was a mixture. He had the 19th century European "moral" superiority toward native people but he also many times publicly expressed a strong criticism of the exploitation of the environment and native people by Europeans. Even in the parts in which I was disturbed by his actions, I found following Wallace's adventures a thoroughly enjoyable read. I also found Wallace's personality coming through in the book.

If the book has any real weakness, it is the last few chapters which are "rushed." Wallace became a dogmatic believer in spiritualism to the point of ignoring contrary evidence. The last 30-40 years of his life in England are covered in much more summary fashion in the book. (Wallace lived to be 90.) Raby points out the highlights and lowlights but in general I found the last few chapters (except the last one) much less enjoyable because so much material is telescoped together. It is tough for a biographer when the subject's main work is earlier in his life; Raby probably does as well as he could with the later material.

But I think the book is still worth five stars. Excluding the last few chapters it is one of the clearest and most engaging biographies I have read. I definitely recommend the book.

4 people found this helpful

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Mike E.

Almost out-Darwined Darwin

Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2019

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A friend let me borrow his copy of David Quammen's The Reluctant Mr. Darwin. Quammen wrote at length about how Wallace almost scooped Darwin on natural selection. I felt like I needed to know more about this Wallace guy, his ideas and travels. I knew he had a "Line" named after him, but little else. Based on some reviews, I settled on Raby's book. I was not disappointed. Although I have not quite finished reading it, I feel it is excellent biography of Wallace. I recommend it highly. It is an easy read and the two maps included of the Amazon Basin and the Malay Archipelago allowed meto follow along in his adventures. It also has a small selection of photos. Raby's description of a typical day when Wallace was in the Amazon Basin made me jealous. What a life. What a grand adventure. Unlike Darwin, who never traveled again after his trip on the Beagle, Wallace had that desire to explore further and traveled east for more adventures and collecting. I found Raby's description of Wallace's Malay travels as facinating as the Amazon travels. Based on conversations about this book with my friend who loaned me his copy of The Reluctant Mr. Darwin, he wants to read this book next and learn about the man who almost scooped Darwin on Natural Selection.

2 people found this helpful

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Anne Salazar

Good, but I was hoping for a more personal story

Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2012

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Alfred Russell Wallace was a name known to me as one of the great thinkers and naturalists of Victorian England and the man who worked out a theory of natural selection before Darwin published his book. I was curious as to why Wallace wasn't more famous and after reading this book I have an idea why: he was so self-effacing and told us so very little about himself and his wife and children that it's almost like if he didn't care about them or himself, then why should we?

Wallace was not brilliant but he was stubborn and plodding and determined to make enough scientific discoveries to assure his fame and a pension to allow him time for his own varied, if not scattered, interests. He lived a very long life but we are told almost nothing at all about him personally, nor about any of his descendants, which compares not at all to the Darwin family who are well known through much correspondence and many biographies as well as autobiographies.

What we are told about Wallace in this book, however, consistently shows his dogged pursuit of the nature he sees before him, but given our present-day knowledge of and sensibilities about animals, his pursuit of the Malay orangutans in particular comes across as cruel and heartless. It was very hard for me to read about his running after and shooting at these human-like animals, and then often leaving them to die when their bodies had sustained so much damage as to render their skins useless to him. Or to have finally come upon a very rare and beautiful butterfly, excitedly writing what a wonder it is "to feel it struggling between one's fingers and to gaze upon its fresh and living beauty" before he kills it to carry home as one of his prizes (page 120).

These seemingly barbarian behaviors are finally balanced with the exquisite beauty he finds in birds, butterflies and even beetles and later in the California sequoias and redwoods as well as many other miracles of nature the world over. During his island travels he was astute enough to realize the Asian-Australian dividing line of biologic regions. He sought, and eventually was thrilled to find, the exquisite birds of paradise -- sadly also often mutilated during their capture.

Wallace wrote many books and did finally receive the recognition he deserved among biologists and other scientists, but his dogged personality bothered me throughout the book; for example, a Malay boy called Ali faithfully traveled with him for many years doing Wallace's shooting, collecting, and many other favors, yet once Wallace sails for home we never hear of him again. In contrast, there are books written and homage paid to Darwin's shooter and others who shared his travels. None of this is meant to be criticism of Raby's book, but rather my own personal thoughts.

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Amazon Customer

Darwin's "twin"

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 9, 2016

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The man who replaces Darwin in the Eastern hemisphere and finds the same theories about evolution. This 'biography' goes into extensive detail regarding his visits to South America before he heads to Indonesia and New Guinea. A first class read if you like Darwinism and want to learn more about 'the other side of the world's coin'.

3 people found this helpful

Amazon-Nutzer

Werde ich wieder nutzen

Reviewed in Germany on July 9, 2012

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Das Buch war wie neu und das zu diesem Preis.
Da mauss man einfach zugreifen und diese Quelle weiterhin nutzen.
Da kauft man gerne Bücher

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tommydickydougie

Well packaged ..

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 23, 2020

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Good condition

Monkeyrepublic

Great account of the life of a man who fell short of becoming an unqualified hero of science

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 9, 2023

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A really good book, thorough, insightful and readable. I sped through, enjoyed the adventure, felt close to a man who lived his life in another age and was fascinated to finally learn why Wallace's reputation, for all his achievements in the face of challenges that rich-boy Darwin never faced, isn't on a par with the big man.

As C. D. Nash says in another Amazon review, the book is perhaps a little pedestrian and frequently flings out terms without explanation. Raby is, I guess, more of a historian than a naturalist - in the hands of Redmond O'Hanlon the jungle adventures would really have sparked. But you should still read it.

C. D. Nash

A talented but complicated man

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 13, 2020

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This book gives due recognition of a modest but determined early explorer and botanist.

The book gives a good account of Wallace's life but maybe a little pedestrian in style. At times local words are and terms are introduced without explanation.

There is much to admire in Wallace but his life-long belief in Spiritualism is rather disconcerting.

3 people found this helpful

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