James T. Costa is Executive Director of Highlands Biological Station and Professor of Biology at Western Carolina University.
On the Organic Law of Change offers the first detailed analysis of
Wallace's 'Species Notebook' by an evolutionary biologist and is
the most important study of the development of Wallace's
evolutionary ideas attempted by anyone so far. Costa is uniquely
placed to have done this work; not only does he have an excellent
grasp of evolutionary theory, but he also has a detailed
understanding of the early history of the subject including the
development of Darwin's ideas about evolution.
*George Beccaloni, Curator of Orthopteroid Insects and Director of
the A.R. Wallace Correspondence Project, Natural History Museum,
London*
A triumph of careful research. The annotations are illuminating in
all regards.
*Janet Browne, Aramont Professor of the History of Science and
Chair of the Department of the History of Science, Harvard
University*
Alfred Russel Wallace's 'Species Notebook' is surely one of the
most important documents in the history of science. Jim Costa's
deft annotations do more than just explain, synthesize, and
contextualize this day-to-day account of Wallace at work: they
bring his interests and ideas--and Wallace himself--to life. It is
truly an unusual privilege to have such a direct view into the
workings of an extraordinary mind in the act of formulating some of
the most powerful and effective ideas in all of science.
*Andrew Berry, Lecturer on Organismic & Evolutionary Biology,
Harvard University*
An important new book…The notebook itself is part diary, part field
notes and part log of each day's collecting. Its pages are filled
with observations, beautiful drawings and daily tallies of
specimens. But this is also where Wallace wrote his thoughts,
analyzed papers and developed his evolutionary ideas.
*New Scientist*
Costa’s book is thus the first publication of what has been left to
us of Wallace’s intended book; and we owe a debt to him for making
it available at last…Wallace was a polymath, to be sure, and
probably among the last to be so, which makes him one of the most
interesting figures in the history of English-language ideas…You
need to read the man for yourself, and Costa’s book provides you
with one more important way to do this.
*Systematic Biology*
This is a very fine treatment of a complicated story; it benefits
from being told by a scientist who understands the biology
involved, and who has not taken liberties with documenting the
history of Wallace’s thought process. This may well be the best
single overview of this important episode in the history of thought
yet produced, and I highly recommend it.
*Reports of the National Center for Science Education*
Let me say it right up front: I love this book! Reading it is a bit
like listening in on the musings of an eminent colleague, trying to
follow their train of thought, catching bits of their reasoning and
ideas, and being impressed by their knowledge and insights. Tracing
the development of Wallace’s thinking on biogeography and evolution
as shown through this notebook is both a challenge and a pleasure.
Watching him tussle with concepts, such as the definition of a
species or the distinction between variety and species, is
fascinating. These are concepts that biologists and
palaeontologists still struggle with and discuss. Reading about his
energetic collecting activities is also absorbing, even though his
accounts of orangutan hunts are harrowing…In presenting the Species
Notebook to us, Costa has produced a work of admirable scholarship.
This book will certainly help to elevate Wallace to his rightful
place in the pantheon of 19th century natural scientists and garner
him additional respect as an original and perceptive thinker.
*Canadian Field-Naturalist*
The Species Notebook constitutes a major document in the
development of nineteenth-century evolutionary thought, and Costa’s
beautifully produced and deftly annotated facsimile edition now
makes this previously unpublished record of Wallace’s observations
and thinking from the crucial pre–Origin of Species period widely
available to scholars and the general public…Costa and Harvard
University Press are to be congratulated for this handsome addition
to Wallace studies.
*Isis*
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