Description
Book SynopsisAugust Weismann’s 1892 theory that inheritance is transmitted through eggs and sperm provided the biological mechanism for natural selection. In this full-length biography, Frederick Churchill situates Weismann in the swirling intellectual currents of his day and shows how his work paved the way for the modern synthesis of genetics and evolution.
Trade ReviewWe come away from this monumental study with a much greater appreciation of this biologist, and an understanding of why [Ernst] Mayr designated him ‘one of the great biologists of all time.’ -- W. F. Bynum * Times Literary Supplement *
A monumental study of an important but surprisingly little-studied biologist,
August Weismann represents half a century of scholarly investment by historian of science Frederick Churchill… That anybody can write this kind of book these days is awe-inspiring. -- Jane Maienschein * Nature *
[A] magisterial biography… It is hard to imagine a better match than between the late Frederick Churchill and the object of his lifelong affection… Will be the definitive biography of August Weismann for decades to come. -- Manfred D. Laubichler * Isis *
Those who know the topic that science historian Churchill has been working on these past years have eagerly awaited this definitive biography of August Weismann (1834–1914), whose germ layer of heredity revolutionized the understanding of organismal evolution… The present book places Weismann at the center of the fields of heredity, evolution, and embryonic development, fields that dominated both late-19th- and late-20th-century biology. The scholarship is rock solid, the writing smooth as silk, and the importance of the book central to the flow of the intellectual history of natural science and society. Unreservedly recommended. -- B. K. Hall * Choice *
This will be considered the definitive scientific biography of August Weismann, as well as a brilliant account of the golden age of embryology. -- Paul Farber, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Oregon State University
A courageous, meticulous study of a major figure. Churchill shows how Weismann turned from his study of natural history and butterflies to provide the grounding for our understanding of chromosomes and germ lines. A truly impressive volume. -- Jane Maienschein, author of
Whose View of Life? and
Embryos under the Microscope
