Authors: Charles H. Smith (Editor), George Beccaloni
ISBN-13: 9780199239177, ISBN-10: 0199239177
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Date Published: April 2010
Edition: (Non-applicable)
Charles H. Smith is Professor of Library Public Information Services at Western Kentucky University. His research interests include biogeography and evolutionary theory, systems theory, bibliography, and Alfred Russel Wallace. He has published four books, nearly a hundred journal articles and reviews, and currently maintains the website The Alfred Russel Wallace Page at http://www.wku.edu/~smithch/index1.htm
His previous book publications are Alfred Russel Wallace: An Anthology of his Shorter Writings; Biodiversity Studies: A Bibliographic Review; Alfred Russel Wallace: Writings on Evolution, 1843-1912; and Alfred Russel Wallace: Evolution of an Evolutionist. George Beccaloni is Curator in the Department of Entomology at the Natural History Museum, London. A Fellow of the Linnean Society of London and Royal Entomological Society of London, he also set up set up the A. R. Wallace Memorial Fund. His purblications include numerous research articles and the following books (as co-editor): Hostplants of the Moth and Butterfly Caterpillars of the Oriental Region; Hostplants of the moth and butterfly caterpillars of America north of Mexico; and Host-plants of the Neotropical Butterflies: A Catalogue (forthcoming).
Alfred Russel Wallace (1823 - 1913) was one of the late nineteenth century's most potent intellectual forces. His link to Darwin as co-discoverer of the principle of natural selection alone would have secured him a place in history, but he went on to complete work entitling him to recognition as the 'father' of modern biogeographical studies, as a pioneer in the field of astrobiology, and as an important contributor to subjects as far-ranging as glaciology, land reform, anthropology and ethnography, and epidemiology. Beyond this, many are coming to regard Wallace as the pre-eminent field biologist, collector, and naturalist of tropical regions. Add to that the fact that he was a vocal supporter of spiritualism, socialism, and the rights of the ordinary person, and it quickly becomes apparent that Wallace was a man of extraordinary breadth of attention. Yet his work in many of these areas is still not well known, and still less recognized is his relevance to current day research almost 100 years after his death.
This rich collection of writings by more than twenty historians and scientists reviews and reflects on the work that made Wallace a famous man in his own time, and a figure of extraordinary influence and continuing interest today.
Foreword Peter Bowler vii
Preface Earl of Cranbrook ix
List of Figures xx
List of Plates xxii
List of Tables xxiii
List of Contributors xxiv
Introduction 1
1 Homes Sweet Homes: A Biographical Tour of Wallace's Many Places of Residence George Beccaloni 7
Part I In the World of Nature
2 "Ardent Beetle-Hunters": Natural History, Collecting, and the Theory of Evolution Andrew Berry 47
3 Theory and Practice in the Field: Wallace's Work in Natural History (1844-1858) Melinda Bonnie Fagan 66
4 Wallace's Annotated Copy of the Darwin-Wallace Paper on Natural Selection George Beccaloni 91
5 Wallace and the Species Concept of the Early Darwinians James Mallet 102
6 Direct Selection for Reproductive Isolation: The Wallace Effect and Reinforcement Norman A. Johnson 114
7 The Colours of Animals: From Wallace to the Present Day. I. Cryptic Coloration Tim Caro Sami Merilaita Martin Stevens 125
8 The Colours of Animals: From Wallace to the Present Day. II. Conspicuous Coloration. Tim Caro Geoffrey Hill Leena Lindström Michael Speed 144
9 Alfred Russel Wallace, Biogeographer Bernard Michaux 166
10 Wallace and the Great Ice Age Keith Tinkler 186
11 Wallace, Conservation, and Sustainable Development Sandra Knapp 201
Part II In the World of Man, and Worlds Beyond
12 The "Finest Butterfly in the World?": Wallace and His Literary Legacy Peter Raby 223
13 Wallace and Owenism Gregory Claeys 235
14 Wallace, Women, and Eugenics Diane B. Paul 263
15 Out of "the Limbo of 'Unpractical Politics'": The Origins and Essence of Wallace's Advocacy of Land Nationalization David A. Stack 279
16 Alfred Russel Wallace and Anti-Vaccinationism in the Late Victorian Cultural Context, 1870-1907 Martin Fichman 305
17 The Universe and Alfred Russel Wallace Steven J. Dick 320
18 Wallace's Unfinished Business Charles H. Smith 341
19 Wallace in Wonderland James Moore 353
20 Wallace's Dilemmas: The Laws of Nature and the Human Spirit Ted Benton 368
21 Wallace, Spiritualism, and Beyond: "Change," or "No Change"? Charles H. Smith 391
References Cited 425
Works by Alfred Russel Wallace 425
Works by Other Authors 433
Index 467