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Eric Simons
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Darwin Slept Here: Discovery, Adventure, and Swimming Iguanas in Charles Darwin's South America Kindle Edition

by Eric Simons (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.0 out of 5 stars 12 ratings
This entertaining combination of history, biography, and travel adventure is “a bracingly fresh portrait [of] Darwin . . . Nothing less than exhilarating” (Michael Pollan, New York Times–bestselling author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma).
 
One snowy day in Ushuaia, Argentina, Eric Simons picked up a copy of Charles Darwin’s The Voyage of the Beagle. Simons had just hiked the mountains overlooking Beagle Channel, and found himself engrossed in Darwin’s surprisingly relatable account. Like Simons, Darwin had been in his mid-twenties when he traveled to South America in search of adventure. Inspired, Simons went further into South America, exploring the histories, legends, and people that had fascinated Darwin himself two centuries before.
 
In Darwin Slept Here, Simons journeys in the footsteps of one of the fathers of modern science, introducing readers to “a refreshingly different Darwin: a twenty-something traveler fond of hurling iguanas into the sea and charging up any tall peak he could find” (Outside Magazine).
 
“Hard to put Simons’ book down—lighthearted adventures that keep a reader wanting more.” —San Francisco Chronicle
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  1. Print length
    232 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    ABRAMS Press
  4. Publication date
    January 22, 2009
  5. Reading age
    18 years and up
  6. File size
    5.8 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"February marks the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin and, naturally, he publication of a slew of new books about him. But while most--like the fine, brainy Banquet at Delmonico s by Barry Werth portray the naturalist as an earnest, white-bearded thinker, journalist Eric Simons celebrates a refreshingly different Darwin: a twenty-something traveler fond of hurling iguanas into the sea and charging up any tall peak he could find. With copies of The Voyage of the Beagle in hand, Simons headed for South America, retracing parts of his famous 1831 trip and doing what Darwin did when he wasn t studying finches: riding with Argentinean gauchos, hunting rheas and ogling senoritas. There s a danger in labeling someone as a genius; it makes them inaccessible, Simons writes. But Darwin the person well, he was a lot like us. --Outside Magazine

Eric Simons has given us a bracingly fresh portrait of the Young Darwin, the man long ago lost behind the great white beard. Here is Darwin as only another young naturalist could find him, and to see the world through those avid eyes, groping for the theory the would explain all he has so brilliantly observed, is nothing less than exhilarating. -Michael Pollan, author of The Botany of Desire and The Omnivore s Dilemma

"Too often we forget that major accomplishments often stem from youthful abandon. Twenty-something Charles Darwin had a rippin' good time mingling with South America's gauchos and iguanas. Discovering this inspired young Eric Simons to retrace the great naturalist's rambling tracks. The result is this wildly entertaining reminder that science and exploration can be a blast." -Bob Sipchen, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and the author of Baby Insane and the Buddha

"Vivid and exotic, Eric Simon's tale invites comparisons to Chatwin as he leads readers among guanacos and ostriches, assassin bugs and armadillos, through rough seas, swift currents and ascending jungles. This is a book full of zest and discovery with the deeper mission of appreciating one of humankind's great breakthroughs in the understanding our past." -Lou Ureneck, author of Backcast

From the Publisher

Praise for Darwin Slept Here
"Eric Simons has given us a bracingly fresh portrait of the Young Darwin, the man long ago lost behind the great white beard. Here is Darwin as only another young naturalist could find him, and to see the world through those avid eyes, groping for the theory the would explain all he has so brilliantly observed, is nothing less than exhilarating." -Michael Pollan, author of The Botany of Desire and The Omnivore's Dilemma

"Too often we forget that major accomplishments often stem from youthful abandon. Twenty-something Charles Darwin had a rippin' good time mingling with South America's gauchos and iguanas. Discovering this inspired young Eric Simons to retrace the great naturalist's rambling tracks. The result is this wildly entertaining reminder that science and exploration can be a blast." -Bob Sipchen, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and the author of Baby Insane and the Buddha

"Vivid and exotic, Eric Simon's tale invites comparisons to Chatwin as he leads readers among guanacos and ostriches, assassin bugs and armadillos, through rough seas, swift currents and ascending jungles. This is a book full of zest and discovery with the deeper mission of appreciating one of humankind's great breakthroughs in the understanding our past." -Lou Ureneck, author of Backcast

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07RT39TWY
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ ABRAMS Press; 1st edition (January 22, 2009)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 22, 2009
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 5.8 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 232 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 out of 5 stars 12 ratings

About the author

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Eric Simons

Eric Simons

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Eric Simons writes about science, sports, and nature. In At Every Depth (2024), he and oceanographer Tessa Hill chronicle the history, present and future of the human relationship to the ocean in a time of breathtaking change. In the Secret Lives of Sports Fans (2013), he investigates the scientific roots of a universal passion, and turns up some curious aspects of human nature taking place in the bleachers. His first book, Darwin Slept Here (2009) combines history, biography, travel adventure, and ostrich recipes to tell the story of Charles Darwin's four years in South America. He lives in San Francisco.

Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
12 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • S. LeVan
    5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining education
    Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2009
    Verified Purchase
    I have little science background, instead choosing to focus on art and design for most of my life. This book has taught me little facts about science, nature, and history, giving me a new appreciation for Darwin and a greater understanding of the culture of South American countries. The relaxed writing style is inviting, as if a friend is narrating a story, and this story is adventurous, intriguing, and inspires me to step outside my comfort zone and explore a new, old world.
    8 people found this helpful
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  • Gerard Nielsen
    4.0 out of 5 stars Quick, Solid Read
    Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2009
    This book is equal parts travelogue and science history. Those who enjoyed Royte's Tapir's Morning Bath will get along fine, travelling alongside Simons as he retraces (not exactly, but to a certain degree) Darwin's path through modern-day Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile. There is an excellent balance between the history of Darwin's voyage and the present-day travels. The truly remarkable thing is how most of the people he meets are versed in Darwin. There are times when Simons' observations are a bit too idyllic, but the use of hyperbole is almost unavoidable when confronted with the majesty of a raw, native rainforest. He also spends a bit too much time focussed on how much like a "gringo" he and his periodic travel companions appear. All in all, a pleasant read.
    9 people found this helpful
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  • Glenn D. Robinson
    3.0 out of 5 stars fun and light
    Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    This is a fun, light travelogue about one man's pursuit of the places that Charles Darwin visited and studied while on his 5 year journey on the Beagle. Nothing profound or deep. Enjoyable read, but not earth shattering. Parts of Argentina have changed little since Darwin was there, so it is was fun to read what the writer encountered while he journeyed. I enjoy these kind of books. If you are looking for deep academic books, this is not one.
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  • Agnes Lin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Easy read.
    Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Good for relaxation.
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  • Katy DeWeese
    5.0 out of 5 stars Darwin Rocks
    Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2009
    Simons provides a refreshing view of Darwin as a curious young adventurer. The book is filled with insight, humor and a writing style that keeps the reader hooked and laughing. A new look into the early life of Darwin and not the stuffy old man that we all think of today. An excellent book for us non-historians and a real page turner. I would recommend it to anyone with an eye for adventure and travel. Loved it!
    9 people found this helpful
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  • S. NELSON
    1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing account -
    Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2009
    As a dedicated non-fiction reader and frequent traveller in Patagonia I was disappointed with this light travel log. Simons had a creative idea, to travel in Darwin's footsteps to get a sense of the man, but executed it poorly. Rather than add insight to help the reader understand modern day life in Southern Argentina and Chile, Simons is satisfied to view the poor villages he visits with the eyes of a Californian suburbanite; mocking the scene and the inhabitants with shallow sarcasm. Although referring to Darwin's encounters with iguanas & finches, the book awkwardly stops short of following Darwin to the Galapagos. If you want insight to the early life of Charles Darwin, I recommend simply reading The Voyage of the Beagle which is a charming and very readable account of his 5 year adventure.
    9 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Mr H G YOUNG
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 26, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Great book, great service
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