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    Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith
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    Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith
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    Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith
    Audiobook7 hours

    Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith

    Written by Deborah Heiligman

    Narrated by Rosalyn Landor

    4/5

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    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Charles Darwin published The Origin of Species, his revolutionary tract on evolution and the fundamental ideas involved, in 1859. Nearly 150 years later, the theory of evolution continues to create tension between the scientific and religious communities. Challenges about teaching the theory of evolution in schools occur annually all over the country. This same debate raged within Darwin himself, and played an important part in his marriage: his wife, Emma, was quite religious, and her faith gave Charles a lot to think about as he worked on a theory that continues to spark intense debates.

    Deborah Heiligman’s new biography of Charles Darwin is a thought-provoking account of the man behind evolutionary theory: how his personal life affected his work and vice versa. The end result is an engaging exploration of history, science, and religion for young listeners.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateJan 6, 2009
    ISBN9780739380482
    Unavailable
    Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith
    Author

    Deborah Heiligman

    Deborah Heiligman has written many books for children, including National Book Award Finalist Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith; Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Winner Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers; and The Boy Who Loved Math. She lives with her family in New York City.

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    Reviews for Charles and Emma

    4/5

    302 ratings79 reviews

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    • 3/5
      my VOYA ratings: 4Q, 2P-listened to this on audiobook-A well-written and researched book that focuses on an interesting perspective (that of Charles and Emma Darwin's relationship and marriage intertwined with his scientific research), "Charles and Emma" will nonetheless likely be one that would take a serious push from a teacher or librarian for teens to read. Even then, I'm not sure many would enjoy it or want to finish. Though the relationship angle is unexpected and very sweet (they truly made a great and supportive pair, neither seeming to be able to exist without the other), it isn't a strong enough tactic to really grab teens' attention, in my opinion. We are talking about 19th-century English romance, here. ;) Not exactly "Twilight." Still, an important look at one of the most important scientists of his time and the integral part his marriage played to his career and the quality of his life in general.
    • 5/5
      Magnificent!
    • 4/5
      When Charles Darwin was a young man, he created a list of pros and cons - to marry or not to marry. Though he courted one woman before his trip to the Galapagos islands, and gained the interest of another family with unmarried daughters, he surprised many people by marrying his cousin, Emma Wedgewood. Charles had already started questioning the role of God in the creation of species, and was upfront with his bride-to-be about his doubts. Despite the fact that she was religious, they had a long and happy marriage.Heiligman takes a unique approach to a biography of Charles Darwin and his coming to conclusions about natural selection and writing The Origin of Species by focusing on all through the lens of his marriage and home life. The beginning was painstaking in going through letters between Charles and Emma and showing the way in which he came to believe in evolution but worried about how his theory would be perceived. After their marriage and children come into the picture, the narrative picks up and I really enjoyed the unusual picture of a Victorian home where children were very much a part of their parents' lives and would run in and out of Charles' study while he was working. Having this focus really made both Charles and Emma come to life as regular human beings instead of larger-than-life historical figures. I was a little disappointed with the fact that as detailed as Charles' doubts and thoughts were, Emma's religious beliefs came down to the simple fact that she wanted to believe in life after death when her sister died. It could be that this is all there was in the historical record, but I wished that her convictions could have been given the same level of scrutiny that her husband's were. Though geared towards teens, the biography is a great introduction for adults as well, and has won many accolades, including a Printz Honor and National Book Award finalist.
    • 4/5
      Somehow I had the impression this was a story based on facts, and for adults. No, it's straight non-fiction, and for ages 12-13 up. Fascinating, though. A tiny bit long on 'this happened and then this happened' and a tiny bit short on the dilemma of the marriage of religion & science, but still an enlightening joy to read.

      ETA - forgot to mention the frequent deaths and chronic illnesses. Interesting how each dealt with all the challenges. Apparently Charles was sick with migraines, I've learned since I've read this.
    • 5/5
      Absolutely loved this! Thought-provoking, engaging, readable, and very, very moving. This real-life romance is now one of my all-time favorites, up there with that of Maud Hart Lovelace and Delos Lovelace. I was left with a profound respect for the relationship between Charles and Emma, and how they balanced their differences and built a life together. This is also the fourth book I've ever read that's made me tear up (without involving something sad happening to a dog).

      All the excerpts from letters, details of the Darwin's home life, etc so very interesting and eye-opening: the household routines, the pet names, the foibles and strengths of the family members. I highly recommend this to anyone with an interest in the dialog between science and theology, and also to those with an interest in nineteenth century life.

    • 5/5
      All I really knew about Darwin was evolution, the Beagle, and controversy. This very enjoyable work focuses on the relationship of Charles Darwin and his wife Emma. While he developed his theory of evolution, a radical concept for the time, his very religious wife Emma feared she would not see him in heaven when they died because of his religious doubts. Yet they shared a loving marriage and were openminded to each other's ideas and in the raising of their children. Neither quite convinced the other and yet somehow they were able to balance their differences...agree to disagree, perhaps? Author Heiligman pulls together an appealing portrait of a loving couple through existing works and their correspondence, all cited in the Source Notes.
    • 4/5
      It was that day, by the fire, that their story really began. In the library at Maer, they had made a leap, though not over class lines or parental objections. They had made a leap to marry even though they had one big difference between them that could stand in the way of their happiness. Page 59In this cute biography of Charles Darwin, most famously known for his ideas of evolution and natural selection, we get a glimpse of his private life. His struggle in deciding whether marriage would be beneficial is counterbalanced by his turmoil over publishing a scandalous theory that would turn the scientific community on its head and the constant conflict between science and religion in his own personal life. Filled with actual photographs of people and places, the book also was enlightening in shedding some insight into the brilliant man behind the science, the loving husband behind the marriage, and the doting father behind all the children he would come to bear. The book is geared towards a younger audience, making it completely readable while also being informative.
    • 4/5
      Heiligman has written a thoroughly researched account of the relationship-with it's ups and downs-of Charles and Emma Darwin. While most people know the naturalist for being one of the first to put forth the theory of evolution, many are likely unfamiliar with the turbulence it caused in his marriage. His wife Emma was devoutly Christian and afraid that his assertions on the scientific changes undergone by different species would land him a place in hell. I found this somewhat funny, as the book says that Emma did not believe in the Christian doctrine of hypostases, or the belief in three people in one God, the basic tennant of the Christian faith. I did not particaularly care for this book-Darwin's importance in history is his "Origin of Species," and he did not really let his wife's worries change his mind about publishing (although he did wait quite a long time to publish), so I'm not sure why his wife's faith would be of any consequence to any one today. That being said, it is very obvious that Heiligman did an exhaustive amount of research, and the book is well written. Technically, I have no issues with the book; my complaints come from topic.
    • 4/5
      I think what makes this best for young adults is the repetitiveness of the main points. Other than that, the book was great.
    • 4/5
      A biography of Charles Darwin and his wife Emma Wedgewood, and their family, with detailed descriptions of his developing the theory of natural selection and the contrast between his lack of religious belief and his wife's religiousness. Includes table of contents, index and notes, as well as a small selection of photographs.
    • 4/5
      A biography of Charles Darwin and his wife Emma Wedgewood, and their family, with detailed descriptions of his developing the theory of natural selection and the contrast between his lack of religious belief and his wife's religiousness. Includes table of contents, index and notes, as well as a small selection of photographs.
    • 3/5
      When I first started reading this book I just couldn't get it into it. I felt like the author was talking down to me, and I had already read other books about Darwin so I kept finding myself being annoyed. Then (right around the time it started getting awards) I finally got to the part where the Darwin's finally got married and started their family. This was the part where the book started picking up for me. Finally it was getting interesting.
    • 3/5
      I was really enjoying this for about the first half, and then it somehow changed a little and I found myself losing interest in the people. After that it felt more of a regurgitation of facts than the love story it was intended to be. I got it - they loved each other. That can only be said so many times in so many ways before it loses meaning. I love Darwin and his insatiable curiosity about life, and I did learn a lot, but other stuff just seemed to be random stuff thrown in to make it longer and didn't really connect with the main points.
    • 3/5
      This is the story of a marriage. It is full of compromise, tragedy, and love, just like every successful marriage. What makes this marriage worthy of a book is the fact that it is the marriage of Charles Darwin to his cousin, Emma. Though the two had known each other their whole lives, they differed on many issues including religion.The author explores the intricacies of their relationship and how they made it work and came to love each other more each year despite their differences. Though Charles' scientific accomplishments are discussed, it is only in relation to his family and wife. A beautiful story about two people in love.
    • 5/5
      I started reading this curious book (a study of the Darwins' marriage written for teens?) on Darwin Day (February 12, 2016). I was interested in learning more about how they made their long and mixed-belief relationship work (throughout their 40+ years together, Charles was a sceptic and Emma was a believer). Turns out, it was the things that we already know make strong relationships: mutual respect, communication, love, open minds, trust, physical touch, shared goals. What a great story. The author considered titling this book Charles, Emma, and God: The Darwins at Home, which I think is just perfect.Make sure to check out Creation, the fantastic film about Mr. and Mrs. Darwin starring married actors Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly.
    • 4/5
      This book is a biography of Charles and Emma Darwin, giving each about equal weight. It gives the Darwin's family life about equal weight w/ Darwin's scientific work. This is a fine structure, and works well since both Charles and Emma left a lot of written matter behind them, suitable for the biographer. I have read a few Darwin books by now, and this is the first to discuss the origins of Emma's devoutness, attributing it in part to the death of her closest sister as an adult. It also follows the Darwins through many infant and child deaths, not just those of their own children but also of the children of their close friends, like the Huxleys and the Hookers. These deaths were a fact of Victorian life, and it is reasonable to remember it.Darwin, being a big softy, was distressed by his wife's suffering during childbirth. He couldn't ignore it. The fourth time, he actually used the new wonder drug, chloroform, to knock Emma out, and was delighted to have spared her so much pain. But it _never_ occurred to him to reduce her pain and make it more likely that she wouldn't die on him, by actually choosing to avoid pregnancy. It's facts like these, that 200 years ago an intelligent, empathetic person couldn't even think of saving the life of someone he cared deeply for and relied on by avoiding a pregnancy, that makes us so grateful for the courageous contraception advocates like Margaret Sanger. Theirs was an uphill battle, alright, and it's still going on today, witness the death threats against Melinda Gates.
    • 5/5
      I never knew that I was fascinated by Charles Darwin until I read this book. This is a portrait of Charles Darwin's life with his wife Emma. When Charles was in his late twenties, he took a sheet of paper and drew a line down the middle. On one side he wrote "Marry" and on the other side he wrote "Not Marry". He was worried that if he married he would lose precious time for his scientific work, but the pros of marrying outweighed the cons and he found Emma to be a devoted friend, lover, caretaker, and editor. If you've got kids coming in for narrative nonfiction, hand them this book pronto. I expected it to be somewhat dry, but it wasn't. It's a rather quiet, contemplative read with so many quotes from Charles's and Emma's letters that you feel like they're actually speaking to you. I really enjoyed this book a lot. I'd hand it to high schoolers and middle schoolers that are solid readers and/or interested in the subject matter. A lengthy bibliography and index are included.
    • 4/5
      How do you balance science and faith? What happens when you add love to the mix? Can you love people with radically different opinions than your own? Charles and Emma avoids pat answers while giving a clear-eyed view of the romance between Charles Darwin and his wife Emma. Nonfiction for young adults is difficult; it has to be accessible and interesting without being condescending; a book about evolution is even more difficult. Heiligman manages her topicwell, as she assumes little background knowledge about Darwin or the theory of evolution and clarifies points without talking down to her readers. She clearly and concisely explains the social circumstances of the time period as well as key points of the theory of evolution while keeping the main focus of the book squarely on the Darwins. Readers hoping for an in-depth discussion of the theory of evolution or Darwin’s discoveries may be disappointed, as Heiligman confines herself brief overviews; the real strength lies in her exploration of the relationship of doubting Charles and religious Emma and how they loved each other deeply despite being divided about Charles’ discoveries. Endnotes and an extensive bibliography provide sources and further reading. Highly recommended for late middle school through adult. Somewhat conversational style makes it seem less academic than it really is, but never fear- Heigilman did her research.
    • 3/5
      Charles and Emma the Darwin’s “Leap of Faith” is about the marriage between the Charles and Emma Darwin. The book covers Charles’s devolvement of the theory of evolution while trying to be respectful of his wife’s devout beliefs. Moreover, it covers Darwin’s attempt to reconcile his own thoughts concerning evolution and religion. Additionally, it is about the love story between Charles and Emma. I could use excerpts of this book in a lesson. I could partner with a Biology teacher to do a cross discipline lesson on the theory of evolution itself as well as it in an historical context.Using a visual analysis of the text, there is a fair amount of made up material. The author ascribes thoughts and feelings to the characters, to make the story more interesting, that she could not know. There is a good deal of information in the book. The author did a lot of research as evidenced by the source notes and quotations in the text. The book structure is somewhat complex. It has chronology and topic organization. The book is fairly narrative as it tells the story of Charles and Emma’s life together. It is somewhat expository as it communicates Darwin’s theories. Heiligman uses some literary devices such as diction and occasionally metaphors. I feel the book has a strong author’s voice. It felt like the book had a distinct storyteller. There was a minimal amount of front matter but there was an abundant amount of back matter. There was a forward in the front of the book. In the back of the book there was an epilogue, source notes, questions, and much besides. There was not a very large amount of visual material. However, there were images and photographs of people and places mentioned in the book. There was also a family tree. So I can’t say that there was not some visual material. Nonetheless, it was primarily after the main text so I’m not sure if it should be counted.
    • 4/5
      My “VOYA” Rating: 4Q, 2PCharles and Emma opens up with Charles debating on whether or not he should get married. His list of reasons to marry or not marry is filled with his fear of loosing his freedom, individuality, and chances to continue his life of studying and traveling. Darwin decides that he will get married because his list of positives outweighs the negatives. Charles marries his cousin Emma. This story of their love and respect for each other, the compromises that each of them make and the opposing views on religion and evolution is researched and written so well. This book was really about science and faith and the part it played in the Darwins’ relationship. The author does an amazing job of constructing a book that provides a rather intimate lens of Darwin’s everyday life, relationship with his family, wife, and children. She also provides her audience with a view of Darwin’s internal struggle of how he spent 15 years debating whether or not to publish his work and his wife’s role in helping him with his work.I like the more intimate view of Darwin. It made this book much more accessible and gave me tidbits of information that I would of never of sought out on my own. I am not so sure how accessible this book would be to a YA audience. I think it would be one of the ones that instructors would have to push on their students. (Although, the romance aspect may grab a few more than expected.)
    • 4/5
      While I have to admit that nonfiction does not get my blood stirring the way a lot of fiction can, this beautifully written and thought-provoking book was a pleasure to read. It is hard to avoid the creationism vs evolution arguments that are so prevalent these days, and I was fascinated to discover how Charles Darwin struggled so to reconcile his scientific observations with the religion of the day, largely because of the love and respect he and Emma (who was quite religious) had for each other. Heiligman's background in both religion and science enables her to write with a balanced view. Young adults (and adults) who assume that science and religious faith are mutually exclusive will find much to ponder here.
    • 3/5
      I'm torn about this one. It was interesting, to be sure, but I think it tried to serve too many masters. Heiligman should have written a straight bio of the Darwins, and not tried to buttonhole it into YA. The sentence structure was more middle grade reader than YA, and the content was more adult/general reader than YA, both of which caused me no small number of disconnects throughout the text.

      Again, very interesting and absorbing but somehow not quite right. I wish I was more able to articulate where the false notes lie, but I'm coming away from this with a deep feeling of discontent- and I'm a Darwinist from the word go. Not on a par with his bulldog, let alone my adored Rottweiler Dawkins, but certainly one of Darwin's mutts.
    • 4/5
      National Book Award Nominee 2009 (and my favorite so far)

      This book is more the biography of a marriage than a biography of either Charles and Emma Darwin, although it does give a brief history of their lives prior to their marriage. I think what I liked best about this book was that it showed how someone with deep religious faith and someone who wasn't even sure there was a God could make a marriage work and not be at each other's throats all the time. An interesting look at some interesting people.
    • 4/5
      I thoroughly enjoyed the author's exploration of Charles Darwin's personal relationships and internal conflicts. This easily read work briefly explains topics that may not be common knowledge to some readers. For example while discussing the prospect of Darwin's marriage, the author explains that it was quite common in this era for first cousins to marry. In applying the text to the visual model of analyzing nonfiction,I find that the text has considerable notes in the end. However, the reader is not afforded the opportunity to determine which parts of the texts are cited. Without this specific citation, one may say that the book is not all made up information. Otherwise, it is difficult to determine.I would place the information level at "lots of information." Although the citations are not specific, there is quite a bit of information in the text. The sentence structure is more complex in the spectrum than the middle. However I do not believe it is an extreme.The next four categories fall in the middle of the spectrum, in my opinion. There is a balance between narrative and expository text. The work is neither dense in fact nor entirely narrative. Additionally, the use of literary devise is obvious but not used to the extent that it overpowers the informational aspects of the work. As for "Author's Voice," this author does interject her opinion about several pieces of information or events. However, this is not done at an level that may taint or bias the information. I would not consider Front/Back matter and visual information in this work as copious. However, I would place this book closer to this point in the spectrum. The photographs, notes, genealogical information and index supplement the written information.
    • 5/5
      Charles and Emma: The Darwin’s Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman When I think of Charles Darwin I picture a white haired man with a long white beard looking morosely at the camera. A picture of which you can find in the middle of Deborah Heiligman’s Charles and Emma: The Darwin’s Leap of Faith. The funny thing is that by the time you get to it in the book you are picturing a very different man, a family man with a big nose who loved his wife to distraction, was sickly, and had children he laughed over as much as he cried. The stalwart gentlemen of science is in fact just a man, and a very good gentlemen, in Ms. Heiligman’s charming and, I think, entertaining biography. The shining highlight of this book is her portrayal of Charles Darwin and her ability to evoke the man in front of his often debated, disputed, challenged, mocked, brilliant science. Because Charles Darwin is as much his science as he is a gentleman who lived in 19th century England, the story is exceedingly complex which makes her achievement all the more remarkable. Language changes over time, phrases go out of mode, temperament of vocabulary (the way people use it daily and their ideas behind a word) alters. It is a writers and a historians challenge to conjure up a time period while still making the language understood by a modern audience. In a letter that Emma wrote to Charles about faith, warning him from giving up all of his in the face of his science she quotes Emma, “May not the habit in scientific pursuits of believing nothing till it is proved, influence your mind too much in other things which cannot be proved in the same way, & which if true are likely to be above our comprehension” (99). Heiligman then in the next sentence explains to the reader exactly what Emma meant. “We humans cannot prove everything; we cannot understand everything, Emma told her husband.” Emma’s words were not complex in themselves but the ideas behind them were and thus Heiligman takes them and simply lays them out in a way that can be immediately understood by the audience. Heiligman does this again and again, explaining word usage that is archaic, vocabulary, as in her explanations of cholera and other deadly diseases on page nine, that are no longer seen or thought of everyday, and the complex ideas that Darwin was trying to work out in obscure, short notes in his journals. Heiligman even takes moments to ground her readers by associating ideas with their modern counterparts by speaking directly to the reader. For instance, while describing the treatments that were being done on one of the Darwin children, Annie, she explains that penicillin would not be discovered for eighty years. Thereby showing the reader the elements of the time period while keeping in mind that her audience is not used to the idea of not being able to fight a bacterial infection. There are so many things I would like to say about the language in this book but suffice to say that I think that a modern audience, adult and minor, will be able to smoothly transition into the time period with her and at once sit comfortably in their modern living room. I wish I had a pithy way to transition, like Heiligman, into my next focus, but I do not so I will tell you that I would like to give an overview of the book since I have already started commenting on so many of its elements. Charles and Emma: The Darwin’s Leap of Faith starts with Charles Darwin making a list of why he should or should not marry. It is years since his famous voyage aboard the HMS Beagle and long before he would finally publish The Origin of Species. Charles Darwin is contemplating that oh-so-normal state of one’s life, marriage. The poor man doesn’t even have a bride picked out so the practice is one of logic instead of the heart. He writes evocatively on the marry side of the list “better than a dog anyhow”(14). We are given glimpses of his pursuits in science sprinkled throughout his normal life of going to the club, visiting family, even meeting Emma. In this way, we are on a voyage with Charles Darwin. The reader, maybe, is pulled back to a time when they did not know his theory of evolution, although Heidigman is aware of her reader’s hypothetical knowledge on the subject, and is given the chance to discover and be tormented by it just as Charles Darwin was discovering and being tormented. The book follows the courtship, family life, births and deaths of his children, while at the same time learning about the process of science. Charles studies fossils, the beaks of birds, barnacles (who knew!), at the same time he is chronicling human behavior and emotions (even writing about his own) and figuring out instinct and adaptation. There are times in the book that are slow because of this- the process was not short and took him from 1838 to 1859 to finally publish The Origin of Species, and another ten years to publish The Descent of Man. Seeping into all elements of his science and home life was another issue, faith. Charles’ wife, Emma, was a woman with staunch beliefs about God and the afterlife and she brought that element into Charles’s life as well. She never stopped trying, through letters and to him personally, that there was more that he did not understand about the world and that above all else she wanted him to see this so that they could spend the afterlife together, which she feared his ideas would forever separate them. Religion was then and is now an important part of many people’s lives. In the 19th century, the world was changing as science leapt forward with new discoveries, inventions, and ideology caused from these changes and religious ideas were being pulled along with them. Religion could be very strict in its scientific views. Many believed that what Charles Darwin wrote was blasphemy. The he was taking God out of creation, which he believed he was. Heidigman does not shy away from this subject, instead she is straightforward and writes at length about Emma’s religious views and Charles’s growing rejection of all of them. What is intriguing is that Charles does not take his rejection lightly, does not batter the church doors with his views, he is tormented by them and is often sick because it is something that despite his own mild temperament he cannot turn away from.The organization of the book, while on the surface is simply moving along the timeline, is wonderfully complex. The complex ideas shift from one to another, taking care that they do not shift too far outside the timeline, while keeping the reading smooth without confusion or the need to backtrack. The cover, like the book, evokes the simplicity of the 19th century while intriguing the reader with an ape behind Charles and a cross hanging from Emma’s hand. The book also includes a well laid out family tree with the Darwin family on one side and the Wedgewood (Emma’s branch) on the other. Also included is an extensive list of source notes, a selected bibliography, and an index. Surprisingly, there is also an added bonus for readers in the classroom, a discussion guide and a section called questions for the author. The discussion questions follow the book chronologically, giving the questioned discussions for each part of the book. I think this would be an asset in the classroom because it starts conversation, assesses students involvement with the ideas/theories/questions posed in the book, and it could be used as sample topics for written responses. Beyond the knowledge that this book provides the reader, it also teaches another, difficult lesson that I think should be discussed in the classroom. How do we talk/write about controversial issues in a way that does not offend, bash other people, and how do we explain clearly things that are usually highly complex (as any good controversy almost always is)? Students are learning how to socialize in the world around them and having good examples of people who are tolerant and authors that can broach issues can only benefit them. I believe Charles and Emma: The Darwin’s Leap of Faith is one such benefit.
    • 4/5
      This book explores Charles Darwin's personal life. While he is certainly most well known for his Origin of Species, his personal life is less known. This book was written in almost a fictional style, but gives a full biography of Darwin's life, especially in his marriage to Emma Wedgewood. While his wife was ardently religious, Darwin's faith had progressed into atheism in his adult life. This book also revealed how the culture and morals of mid-1800s England influenced Darwin's life. This book would be best suited for high school students or young adults.
    • 4/5
      This book by Deborah Heiligman gives the reader an intimate portrait of the personal life of Charles Darwin, in addition to a general understanding of the Victorian social times during which he lived. Included are pictures, a comprehensive family history and background of both himself and his wife, photographs, and many selections from his diary, such as his insights and anxieties leading up to the publication of his seminal work, "On the Origin Of The Species." I previously knew nearly nothing about the personal life of Charles Darwin; much of what I did know was limited to his research in evolution theory. However, upon completion of this book I felt as though I knew him and his family well. Despite their disagreements regarding religion, his wife Emma was his constant companion, supporter, and confidante. She spent her entire life caring for her children and husband, as for much of his life Darwin was a sickly man. Without her involvement, one wonders if he would've found the successes he did in regard to his studies. Well suited to young audiences, Heiligman's novel is also a delight for adult readers as well. She captures honestly the difficulties Darwin faced when it came to the subjects of Christian faith and evolutionary science, and also did much to renew my lifelong fascination with biology. Thus, this book would be appropriate not only for an English / Reading class, but for a Science (or even a theology) course as well.
    • 4/5
      Charles and Emma details Charles Darwin's early life, marriage, family, and scientific endeavors and publications in a form which, though entirely nonfiction, is told as a narrative. The amount of research not only given Darwin's main works and the sources, mainly other theorists and scientists, but given to a great number of letters and archived journals is magnificent. Heiligman takes the personal life and scientific endeavors of Darwin and places all of the most important details in a chronological narrative format, all while contrasting his work with the faith of his wife, Emma.Charles, born into the household of a doctor, who was arguably less religious than the scientist himself, grew up a Unitarian, which was one of the less strict, fairly liberal sects of Christianity at the time. But just as his voyages around the world crystalized in himself a staunch believe in science and "transmutation," the early deaths of Emma's sister and many of her children, namely Annie, who died at aged nine, did the same for her faith.While the book is thrilling, especially for those not familiar with all of Darwin's publications and the individual range of successes of each of them, the book also has a deeply emotional side, drawing from the tragic deaths of so many of their relatives including many young children, as well as the fairly constant allegories drawn between Charles and Emma's relationship and those in Jane Austen's books. My only complaint is that, while Darwin's viewpoints towards women are accurately portrayed and certainly reflect the times, the author does not have much to say about this, and often seems to hold the same viewpoint, perhaps if only to further convey the way in which women were treated at this time. Otherwise, there are many strong points in the book including many details I didn't know such as the fact that Darwin was taught to stuff birds by a freed slave.Lastly, I would say that this book is probably appropriate to be read to children as young as 10-12, but the reading level and the length of the book would probably more suit late middle school, namely 8th grade, for the task of individual reading. There are certainly not any inappropriate parts of the book, but I think the level of sadness associated with the infant deaths might be too much for younger children. There are also many inspiring female characters in the book, so it seems that the book, equal parts scientific inquiry and romance would be interesting across the gender spectrum.
    • 5/5
      Charles and Emma by Deborah Heiligman reads much like a romance novel set in the mid 1800's. The amount of detail and information given about the characters are almost too detailed to not be fiction. It is amazing the amount of detail that the author was able to gather on each of the family members. Through family letters and journals, so much personal information about their lives and personalities was garnered. We are able to get to know each of them so intimately that is like we were there with them.Charles Darwin is usually only known from one view, the scientific one. His view as taught to be one that was out to prove that God did not exist when he was only seeking the truth as any scientist should. This book allows us to see the struggles that he went through on this quest for the truth.The love story between he and Emma is an amazing one. One full of love and support in spite of personal differences. I love that Emma grew up in an open and loving environment that prepared her heart to love Charles with all of his opinions and ideas that were "out there" at the time. The paths they brought them to each other through waiting and not rushing into marriage just because they should is a story that many should learn from.This book would serve a science class well teaching that true scientists seek the truth and not just to prove their theories correct. Charles went where the truth led him. He let the facts shape his theories rather than his beliefs shape the "truth" that he sought. Scientists today can learn from this type of open mindedness.It can also be used in a literature class as an example of how nonfiction can flow and pull you in just as intimately as any fiction novel. It shows that you you can use literature to teach facts about people and ideas. There is a series of questions in the back that can guide the class to deeper understandings and discussions.Using the guide developed by Penny Coleman, the nine elements that guide the classification of nonfiction genre makes it a little simpler to know what to expect in a nonfiction book. I like the continuum that she uses. Some books may be all to one side and clearly fiction while others would be all the way to the other side but most books will fall somewhere in between in the various elements.I will do my best to classify Charles and Emma using her continuum. As for made up material, I feel that this book had almost no made up material except as was required to "smooth the seams". The amount of research done into the is family allowed the author to have intimate details not normally available in nonfiction work. This also covers the next element of amount of information. There was a lot of information in this book about the people and his work.The structure was fairly simple. It was chronological with background information woven into the story in such a way that it did not confuse the reader. The text was all narrative and mostly expository and used many literary devices. The story was well told and explained the thoughts and opinions of the people. There was great attention to detail that made you feel as if you were there.I am not sure about the author's voice. It seemed as if she stepped back and the story told itself. It was more about the people and story than about her writing style, which I assume is her voice. The front matter was the traditional title page, table of contents, and forward. The back matter had an amazing amount of source notes as well as a family tree of both families and questions for a guided discussion about he book. There was minimal visual material. There were a few pictures in the middle and the family trees in the back but the rest was text.Overall, this book was well written and clearly a nonfiction text that read as fiction novel because of the depth of personal information that was available to the author about the people. I highly recommend this book.
    • 4/5
      Charles and Emma, by Deborah Heiligman, is a successful example of the power that high-quality research and organization can have on nonfiction writing. This book flourishes because of the work and passion that the author put into its conception, as is proven in her heartfelt acknowledgments section. Heiligman weaves together a myriad of almost two hundred year old sources to form a personal, relatable love story.The author’s main task is to accompany the actual resources at her disposal with succinct, gripping writing. She proves successful in this aim, as shown here. "He wondered if morality was innate, not learned or taught. He scribbled, "I suspect conscience, an hereditary compound passion. Like avarice." If people were, in essence, naturally moral, what was the need for religion, really? (77)." Heiligman successfully articulates the “gist” from the Darwin’s thoughts, turning one line musings into paragraph long accessible explanations. It is a crucial skill that she mostly employs effectively. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of their engagement; their correspondences struck a familiar chord in me. The account of their pre-wedding angst, especially his revelation that she would have to humanize him, is well done. Also, her examination of the couple’s struggle with morality versus Charles’ theories shows to be the main strength of the book. The beginning chapters were laborious, and unfortunately large portions of the text read like paraphrased Jane Austen. While it is impressive how the facts have been woven into the text in a manner that at times reads like prose, sometimes the author’s additions between sourced materials make for tedious reading. Here's an example of a particular subjective sentence, where Heiligman reaches to fill in the blanks. "When Charles got home, Emma met him at the door. They clung to each other and wept. They went over the details of the last days again. It was necessary to go through it all together, side by side" (152). It’s hard to jump from beautiful, authentic excerpts relating fear and grief from the Darwin’s letters to this contrived guess at what reaction the parents of a dead child may have had. While I understand that the story must be told, the book suffers, at no fault of the author’s, from passages like this. Nonfiction writing doesn't have the luxury of a totally manufactured story, and the plot tends to languish from a lack of interesting subject matter.Sometimes the quotes from the Darwin and Wedgwood’s correspondences were mashed into imagined filler, however, most of the time their coexistence is fluently achieved. The creation of an enjoyable love story between a woman of God and a man of science that simultaneously explains Darwin’s theories and their world’s reaction to them is a true triumph for the author. The book can truly be liked and appreciated by anyone, regardless of age or gender.