The annotated Malay Archipelago by Alfred Russel Wallace /

This is the first annotated English edition of Alfred Russel Wallace's Malay Archipelago (1869). Darwin and Wallace expert John van Wyhe (National Univ. of Singapore) believes it corrects Wallace's omissions, which left many people, places, publications, and species unidentified. It also provides an opportunity to rectify mistakes Wallace made, e.g., including inaccurate dates and place-names and some "memorable" anecdotes. Van Wyhe explains that contrary to popular myth, Wallace did not travel to the Amazon and later to Malaysia in search of the "origin of species." The initial purpose of Wallace's travels was to collect unusual organisms, an activity that yielded handsome profits. A dedicated naturalist, Wallace always carried a notebook, eight of which have survived. Four were incorporated into his journal, and the other four were filled with scientific information about his collections, financial records, reading notes, and speculations concerning evolution. However, the Journal and Malay Archipelago contain nothing about his theoretical work on species. Wallace's ten maps and all of his original woodcuts are included, supplemented by summaries of his itineraries and many beautifully colored illustrations of animals he encountered that were not included in the initial publication, making this a compelling volume for naturalists and historians of science. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals/practitioners. --Joel S. Schwartz, CUNY College of Staten Island