Bright Paradise: Victorian Scientific Travellers

by Peter Raby

Book Overview

Whether looking for the sources of the Nile, the Niger, or the Amazon, penetrating the Australian outback, or searching for the Northwest Passage, the Victorians were intrepid explorers, zealously expanding the limits of science and human knowledge. In Bright Paradise, Peter Raby describes brave voyages and gives us vivid and unforgettable portraits of the larger-than-life personalities of Charles Darwin, Alfred Wallace, and Henry Bates,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0691048436
• ISBN13: 9780691048437
• Release Date: October 1997
• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Bright Paradise for Anthropology Students

"Bright Paradise: Victorian Scientific Travellers" gives a refreshing glimpse into the scientific travellers and explorers of The Victorian Age. It covers the well-known (Darwin, Wallace, and Hooker) to those overlooked and nearly forgotten travellers like the botanical painter Marianne North. It is written without any academic pretentiousness and is ideal for introductory courses in cultural anthropology and European History of the 1800s. The only fault with this book is that it is too short.

Excellent History of an Exciting Time!

I've always had a weak spot for the history of science and exploration, so when I discovered this book, I went weak in the knees. We all know Darwin and Cook, but what about Russell and Spruce? Here are the true heroes of science from the days when gaps in your knowledge weren't just unfortunate, they could get you killed! Excellently written, with a mountain of information for the scholar, historian and casual reader. Get it now!