Darwin's luck

About this book

"It is often asserted that Charles Darwin had a fortunate and indeed privileged life. He came from a wealthy, upper middle class family; he studied at Edinburgh and Cambridge, and then never had to work at anything he did not wish to during his life. He married an attractive and wealthy heiress who was devoted to him. On the other hand, you might make a case for saying that Darwin's life was dogged by ill-luck. His mother died when he was seven; he was sent to a school at which he 'learnt little'; he left Edinburgh Medical School after two years, unqualified. He undertook a five-year voyage although he was prone to sea-sickness; his one-time girlfriend (of whom there is evidence he was very fond) married someone else a few months into this voyage. He was affected by ill-health throughout much of his life. One of his children appears to have been mentally handicapped, and this child, and also his beloved Annie, died in infancy. His brother seems to have taken to drugs. Like most of us he had a mixture of good luck and ill-luck. At a number of key points in his life, he made a choice, or others made a choice, or circumstances occurred, which profoundly influenced the path that he took. He made mistakes, but he had the distinct knack of good instinct. Sometimes he displayed the characteristics that enabled him to 'make his own luck'. This book reviews the role of chance and luck in the great Victorian naturalist's life and career."--Book jacket.