{"product_id":"darwins-backyard-james-t-costa-9780393239898","title":"Darwin's Backyard: How Small Experiments Led to a Big Theory","description":"\u003cp\u003eJames T. Costa takes readers on a journey from Darwin's childhood through his voyage on the HMS \u003cem\u003eBeagle\u003c\/em\u003e where his ideas on evolution began. We then follow Darwin to Down House, his bustling home of forty years, where he kept porcupine quills at his desk to dissect barnacles, maintained a flock of sixteen pigeon breeds in the dovecote, and cultivated climbing plants in the study, and to Bournemouth, where on one memorable family vacation he fed carnivorous plants in the soup dishes.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUsing his garden and greenhouse, the surrounding meadows and woodlands, and even taking over the cellar, study, and hallways of his home-turned-field-station, Darwin tested ideas of his landmark theory of evolution with an astonishing array of hands-on experiments that could be done on the fly, without specialized equipment.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHe engaged naturalists, friends, neighbors, family servants, and even his children, nieces, nephews, and cousins as assistants in these experiments, which involved everything from chasing bees and tempting fish to eat seeds to serenading earthworms. From the experiments' results, he plumbed the laws of nature and evidence for the revolutionary arguments of \u003cem\u003eOn the Origin of Species\u003c\/em\u003e and his other watershed works.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBeyond Darwin at work, we accompany him against the backdrop of his enduring marriage, chronic illness, grief at the loss of three children, and joy in scientific revelation. This unique glimpse of Darwin's life introduces us to an enthusiastic correspondent, crowd-sourcer, family man, and, most of all, an incorrigible observer and experimenter.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIncludes directions for eighteen hands-on experiments, for home, school, yard, or garden.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e James T. Costa\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0393239896\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780393239898\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e W. W. Norton \u0026amp; Company\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 09\/05\/2017\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 464\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.75lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.40h x 6.50w x 1.50d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e 05\/29\/2017\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e 06\/15\/2017\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 07\/01\/2017\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e 08\/01\/2017 pg. 8\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eShelf Awareness\u003c\/i\u003e 09\/08\/2017\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eChoice\u003c\/i\u003e 06\/01\/2018","brand":"James T. Costa","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":44048971530495,"sku":"9780393239898","price":27.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_208bbfdf-90a5-42ab-a279-357b0f304dd2.jpg?v=1684998870","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/darwins-backyard-james-t-costa-9780393239898","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}