Darwin's Luck Chance and Fortune in the Life and Work of Charles Darwin [Hardcover]

One might make a case for saying that Darwin's life was dogged by bad luck. His mother died when he was seven; he was sent to a school at which he 'learnt little'; he left medical school after two years, unqualified. Two of his children died in infancy.
On the other hand one could argue that he had a privileged and fortunate life - perhaps the more common view. Patrick H. Armstrong contends that although Darwin came to the right conclusions, he did not actually follow the right path in getting there. While his science was sometimes flawed, he had the distinct knack of good instinct. Armstrong presents a fresh view of Darwin's life and methods.

List of illustrations
Acknowledgements
Bibliographical note
1. Introduction
2. Charles Darwin's origins
3. To lose one parent is a misfortune: childhood and adolescence
4. Cambridge: it's who you know as much as what you know
5. The offer and its acceptance
6. Sailor's luck
7. Scientific development aboard HMS Beagle: seeing thiongs in the right order
8. Darwin's women
9. From London's 'dirt, noise, vice and misery' to an extraordinarily rural quiet village'
10. The down and up of family life
11. The dawning of dangerous ideas
12. The origin of the Origin
13. Afterwards
14. Last things
15. Good luck or bad luck?
Index