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The Beak of the Finch A Story of Evolution in Our Time Jonathan Weiner 8601401169499 Books

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The Beak of the Finch A Story of Evolution in Our Time Jonathan Weiner 8601401169499 Books

A great introduction to legendary field-work. It isn't a critical analysis: it's a hymn of sorts to some admirable scientists spanning a century and a half. But it sees even in their flaws (e.g., Darwin's slow-dawning comprehension on the significance of his finches) a model for how science can and should work.

By coincidence I was reading this around the time I found myself in a conversation with a creationist who claimed there had never been an observable case of speciation. (I dunno, don't ask me.). While I didn't engage, because such conversations are usually non-starters, it was rather nice to have a terrific real-world compendium of Darwin's evolving thought as it's reflected in the field work.

The book wants constant updating, though. Many tantalizing hints are dropped that are not developed but which might be, given the advances in published research.


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The Beak of the Finch A Story of Evolution in Our Time Jonathan Weiner 8601401169499 Books Reviews

How could a book about finch beaks be fascinating you wonder? Well at least to a biologist it is. A spectacular documentation of natural selection in action in real time. My partner and I took this book on a vacation to a beautiful beach in Honduras. Now we did manage to fit in snorkeling, diving and diving with dolphins, but in between we just waited around for the other one to put it down for a moment so we could snag it for a chapter or two. "You want to go get some lunch?" "Nah, I'm not really hungry, you go, but please leave the book here."
I read this while on a cruise in the Galapagos, which made it more interesting to me than if I had been somewhere else. The story of the Grants' research on the "Darwin finches" is fascinating, but I thought the narrative did not maintain as coherent a story line as in the best popular science writing. I thought the reflections on larger issues (e.g. science vs. religious dogma, the causes and effects of climate change, and the rapid evolution of bacteria and viruses in reaction to modern medicines) at the end of the book were well done and among the best sections.
What a fantastic book. Weiner is an amazing writer and this book shifts from biography, to novel, to historical nonfiction smoothly while capturing the mindset of Darwin by placing him along contemporary biologists. I'm not a biologist and have never had a formal introduction to evolution, but I feel this book has certainly prepped me for that!
The story of Rosemary and Peter Grant's twenty-year study of the finches of the Galapagos islands goes far beyond ornithology and even beyond biology the author contends that the Grants have successfully observed the birds evolving under stressful conditions to become better adapted to their environment. That claim may be disputed, but the book is a great adventure story of science under brutal conditions--the most barren of islands, so rugged that just landing on it is potentially fatal. The description of how the study was conceived and carried out is woven into the Grants' own personal story and the whole is placed into the context of the history of evolutionary theory, told in an intelligent and entertaining style. The book ends with some comparisons of other similar attempts to observe evolution, and the arguments are compelling that the Grants have succeeded in doing so.

While fascinating and well-written, I must admit that there were parts that were a bit dry and you really have to love this subject to get all the way through the book. Probably the best part is Weiner's explanation for why the finches' beaks are so crucial to their survival their primary food source is a tiny, rock-hard seed. There is also a very funny passage on how the Grants discovered what male finches find sexually attractive.

A pleasant and engrossing read for the serious or semi-serious naturalist. Recommended for those who enjoyed Cod A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World.
There is some heavy-going science writing here, but mostly it's beautifully written and extremely informative and interesting. I had always meant to read it, but an upcoming trip to the Galapagos got me going. I not only enjoyed seeing the finches even more than otherwise, I really learned how evolution works. I didn't realized what a superficial knowledge I'd had before. Well worth the time and a must if you are going to the Galapagos!
This is a beautifully written documentary. I learned so much about the Galápagos Islands, Charles Darwin, and how past and contemporary researchers put pieces together to produce empirical evidence of adaptation and evolution. The effort involve ingenious ideas and painstaking labors to test the ideas, which is interesting in and out of itself. It was even more of a pleasure to read about them in such a beautiful writing. Now I know what kind of books receive Pulitzer award. I first borrowed the book from the library but decided to buy to read it multiple times.
I was not a fan. It's easy enough to read, but it does take a bit of effort to fully engage in it. The book jumps from many perspectives, the author's view, Darwin's, other scientists, then just sort of random tidbits. The "layout" of the story could have been kept neater. It's highly repetitive... But what got me the most was some of the overly "descriptive" lines that often weren't necessary. For example, I can't get over the line, "small beaks are small, medium beaks are medium." There was another part talking about either a desert or a season (I can't remember), but it said something about the subject like, "the dry (something) was very dry." Okay...

Anyway, if you're looking to read about Darwin and his finches, this is definitely a good book for that. However, I just think it could have been slimmed down and proof-read more.
A great introduction to legendary field-work. It isn't a critical analysis it's a hymn of sorts to some admirable scientists spanning a century and a half. But it sees even in their flaws (e.g., Darwin's slow-dawning comprehension on the significance of his finches) a model for how science can and should work.

By coincidence I was reading this around the time I found myself in a conversation with a creationist who claimed there had never been an observable case of speciation. (I dunno, don't ask me.). While I didn't engage, because such conversations are usually non-starters, it was rather nice to have a terrific real-world compendium of Darwin's evolving thought as it's reflected in the field work.

The book wants constant updating, though. Many tantalizing hints are dropped that are not developed but which might be, given the advances in published research.