Books by Peter Raby

In 1858, aged thirty-five, weak with malaria, isolated in the remote Spice Islands, Alfred Russel Wallace wrote to Charles Darwin: he had, he said excitedly, worked out a theory of natural selection. A year later, with Wallace still at the opposite side of the world, On the Origin of Species was published.

' 'Peter Raby's book follows a disparate crew of botanists, scientists and collectors, who tried to order the earthly paradise which unfolded around them. Entrepreneurs they may have been - many were dependent on selling their specimens to finance their trips-but they were also scrupulous and sensitive observers.

This account of the remarkable life and career of Harriet Smithson Berlioz provides a fascinating commentary on the theatrical and cultural history of her time. It brings to life the talented actress who became the symbol of the Romantic spirit for a brief period in French cultural history.

In 1858, Alfred Russel Wallace wrote to Charles Darwin: he had worked out a theory of natural selection. Within two weeks, his outline and Wallace's paper were presented jointly in London. A year later, with Wallace still on the opposite side of the globe, Darwin published "On the Origin of Species". This work is a biography of Wallace.