Synopsis
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize
On a desert island in the
heart of the Galapagos archipelago, where Darwin received his first
inklings of the theory of evolution, two scientists, Peter and Rosemary
Grant, have spent twenty years proving that Darwin did not know the
strength of his own theory. For among the finches of Daphne Major,
natural selection is neither rare nor slow: it is taking place by the
hour, and we can watch.
In this dramatic story of groundbreaking
scientific research, Jonathan Weiner follows these scientists as they
watch Darwin's finches and come up with a new understanding of life
itself. The Beak of the Finch is an elegantly written and compelling masterpiece of theory and explication in the tradition of Stephen Jay Gould.
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Weiner follows scientists Peter and
Rosemary Grant who, for the past 20 years, have studied the continuing
evolution of the beaks of finches in the Galapagos Islands.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
This is an account of
Peter and Rosemary Grant's research on the microevolutionary
modifications that occur in finch beaks as they adapt to environmental
changes. Analysis of data collected from 18,000 birds on a Galapagos
island over 21 years conclusively demonstrates that the pressures of
natural selection are currently altering wild populations. Also, by
incorporating others' work on present-day evolutionary variations in
fish, insects, and microbes, Weiner (The Next One Hundred Years, LJ
2/1/90) challenges the concept of evolution as a time-frozen process.
Harmonized with the writings of Charles Darwin, this book provides the
facts to bring alive evolution as an ongoing process. Highly
recommended for general collections, but informed readers would do
better with Peter Grant's own Ecology and Evolution of Darwin's Finches
(Princeton Univ. Pr., 1986).
Frank Reiser, Nassau Community Coll., Garden City, N.Y.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Booklist
"We will now discuss in a little more detail the struggle for
existence," Darwin said, and that's what Weiner does, too, in his
account of the study of Galapagos finches undertaken by Peter and
Rosemary Grant some 20 years ago. The Grants set up camp on Daphne
Major, an island of sheer cliffs and no freshwater except for what
falls from the sky, but such inhospitable features ensured that finches
would follow their life cycles without human interference. The Grants
have documented some 13 species of "Darwin's finches," including one
that is flightless; one that cohabits with marine iguanas; one, the
vampire finch, that lives on blood; one that is entirely vegetarian;
and one, the cactus finch, that makes tools with its beak. The Grants
caught and banded thousands of finches and traced their elaborate
lineage, enabling them to document the changes that individual species
make, primarily to their beaks, in reaction to the environment. (During
prolonged drought, for instance, beaks may become longer and sharper,
to reach the tiniest of seeds.) Even more fascinating, the Grants have
documented changes in DNA among their birds, suggesting a refutation of
creationism, if one were needed, and leading Weiner to declare that
"Darwin did not know the strength of his own theory. He vastly
underestimated the power of natural selection. Its action is neither
rare nor slow. It leads to evolution daily and hourly, all around us,
and we can watch." An engaging account of a seminal study that
introduces the reader to Darwin and to the dedicated, tireless
biologists who have proved him right. John Mort
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Kirkus Reviews
An unusual and enjoyable
look at the ongoing process of evolution. Think finch. Think Gal pagos.
Darwin's finches. All those clever birds adapted to fill niches that
might normally be filled by other birds. Each with beak adapted to be
long and pointy or stout and deep: whatever it takes to tackle the food
of choice. It all happened when the first finch or two blew into the
volcano islands millennia ago, right? Wrong. What Weiner (Planet Earth,
1986) sets out to do, and does very well, is demonstrate that evolution
happens fast and now. That point is not new to those in the know:
Remember those 19th-century English moths that adapted to soot-covered
bark by turning from predominantly white to predominantly black in a
few moth generations? Weiner's tale focuses on Peter and Rosemary
Grant, who have spent 20 years documenting every finch on Daphne Major
island and coding data on life history to be plugged into computers
back home in Princeton. The story is fascinating: In hard times the
species exploit their separate niches: ground feeders of varied-sized
seeds, cactus feeders, etc. In soft times they intermingle, even
hybridize. Thus the pendulum swings from species fission to species
fusion. Now after a few flood seasons, the hybrids are doing very
well...but times change. And that is the point--dynamic and constant
change. As Weiner winds up his story, he moves on to thee and me: with
the bacteria in our guts, with antibiotic and pesticide resistance,
global warming and the greenhouse effect--all the manmade changes that
are ratcheting up the evolutionary gears. All this is artfully told,
with maps and drawings, some by a Grant daughter. There are lots of
memorable lines, and telling, even funny anecdotes (don't miss the one
about the barnacle that bit) that make this Weiner a winner. (First
printing of 40,000; Book-of-the-Month Club selection; Quality Paperback
Book Club alternate selection; History Book Club selection) -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
"This book is an extraordinary
achievement. It is carefully researched, impeccably crafted,
unflinchingly dramatic, yet conscientiously scientific."--School
Library Journal
"[An]
engaging narrative of a modern scientific study that will forever
change the way that we view evolution....This is a rare book: The Beak
of the Finch is at once absorbing science history, deftly crafted
popular science treatise and engagingly personal narrative....It has an
important story to tell, not only of Darwin's finches and evolution but
also of the way that forefront scientific research is carried
out."--The Los Angeles Times Book Review
"Evocative writing,
exhaustive research, and Weiner's memorable portrait of the engaging
Grants assure The Beak of the Finch membership in the select pantheon
of science books that spark not just the intellect, but the
imagination."--Washington Post Book World
"A brilliant book. It
is the best book on life and evolution in many a long year--one of
those rare books that permanently alters one's view of nature and even
of life and death."--Richard Preston
About the Authors
Jonathan Weiner, formerly a writer and editor for The Sciences, is the author of Planet Earth and The Next One Hundred Years. He lives in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, with his wife and their two sons.
Product Details
Paperback: 352 pages
Carton Size: 24 books
Publisher: Vintage Books (May 30, 1995)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 067973337X
ISBN-13: 978-0679733379
Product Dimensions: 8.02 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
Shipping Weight: 0.72 pounds
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