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CHARLES
DARWIN
HAD
an
odd-shaped
life.
Young,
in
debt,
a
conventional
believer
due
to
become
a
parson,
he
made
a
journey
that
was
supposed
to
take
two
years.
It
lasted
five.
He
was
ill
for
ever
thereafter
(probably
from
a
disease
contracted
in
South
America),
but
raised
a
large
family
while
dissecting,
observing
and
speculating
about
nature
in
his
Kent
garden.
He
gathered
proofs
and
illustrations
for
a
theory
begun
on
that
voyage,
and
on
the
way
lost
his
belief
in
God.
Twenty
years
after
the
voyage
of
The
Beagle,
On
the
Origin
of
Species
pitchforked
him
into
public
battles
with
the
Church.
But
Darwin
had
a
happy
marriage,
money,
success.
The
action-packed
life
of
the
secretly
manic-depressive
captain
who
invited
him
onto
The
Beagle
ended
in
suicide.
It
is
a
brave,
sad
tale.
Socially,
practically,
Robert
Fitzroy
was
far
ahead
of
his
time.
He
championed
the
rights
of
people
whom
Victorian
gentlemen
and
rapacious
white
settlers
in
New
Zealand
called
savages,
believing
they
should
be
treated
equally.
He
brought
Fuegian
natives
to
England
and
returned
them
home
at
his
own
expense.
He
promoted
meteorology
and
weather
bulletins,
which
saved
many
lives
but
were
halted
in
England
by
vested
interests.
Owners
lost
money
not
when
fishermen
died,
but
when
boats
did
not
go
out
because
of
forecasts.
Fitzroy
constantly
fought
for
ideals
and
lost.
The
Fuegians
were
damaged
by
coming
to
England.
His
young
sailors
died.
And
despite
his
scientific
interests,
he
passionately
defended
biblical
truth.
Mutation
of
species,
as
they
called
it
then,
threatened
belief
in
the
literal
truth
of
Genesis.
This
became
a
dangerous
issue
on
The
Beagle.
It
later
divided
Darwin
and
Fitzroy.
And
this
conflict
drives
Harry
Thompson???s
fictionalised
picture
of
Fitzroy???s
life.
This
Thing
of
Darkness
does
not
work
as
a
novel.
Thompson
has
done
fantastic
research
but
cannot
step
back
from
it.
But
as
fictionalised
biography,
this
is
a
fascinating
read.
Behind
the
rich
textures,
all
those
sailors,
storms
and
places
???
Patagonia,
Tierra
del
Fuego,
Galapagos
???
is
a
grim
battle
about
the
origin
of
life.
Mail
On
Sunday
'A
brilliant
historical
novel.
An
impressive
book;
something
big
that
deserves
attention'
Daily
Telegraph
'It's
an
excellent
read,
in
the
traditions
of
Patrick
O'Brian,
and
fully
deserves
its
position
on
the
Booker
list'
The
Independent
The
Spirit
of
Patrick
O'Brian
is
not
far
away
THIS
THING
OF
DARKNESS
IS...
a
superior
adventure
story'
Very
large
standard
softcover,750
pages.
Condition
is
good |