Few individuals have altered the intellectual landscape of their day as profoundly as Charles Darwin. His theory of evolution caused a scandal in the 1860s and remainis a provocative topic today. Here, Piero Ventura considers Darwin"s extraordinary life in a fresh and enlightening way. His famed Beagle voyage, his writings, and his discoveries are explored within the context of the society that had begun to take an active interest in the natural world. Thomas Jefferson"s Monticello, Lewis and Clark"s expedition, and Monet"s garden are a few of the exlectic engaging examples of the nineteenth century"s growing focus on nature. From Darwin"s early influences to the legacy he left behind, the revolutionary modern view of nature is explored.