The Origin of Species
By Charles Darwin

Title available in paperback?:Yes
Pages: 336


Description of book: Charles Darwin’s The Origin of Species was first published in 1859 and the world will celebrate its 150th anniversary during our own year of “Revolutions.” The book is incredibly accessible as there are dozens of editions still available in print (including a Dover Thrift edition for $5 and an online version that is free). Moreover, it requires no specialized scientific training to understand its precepts, yet it is arguably one of the five most important scientific treatises ever written. On the Origin of Species fits the campus theme as well or better than any other text since the revolution that followed still affects all of us today. The book is a classic that more students should be reading, not just those in the natural sciences, but social sciences and humanities studies can incorporate it as well. On the Origin of Species impacts the fields of philosophy, history, religion, and literature while serving as a foundation for biology and anthropology. But the most important reason it should be selected as the One Book, One Campus text is that the writing is eloquent, evocative, and absolutely relevant.

--title nominated by James M. VanderVeen, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Anthropology