The Trials of Charles Darwin

Origin Story is a riveting tale of how Charles Darwin’s groundbreaking work on natural selection revolutionized the scientific community and society at large, as well as an exploration into the enigmatic illness that haunted the renowned author.On the morning of June 30, 1860, a substantial crowd gathered outside Oxford University's newly constructed Museum of Natural History for the British Association for the Advancement of Science's annual meeting. The main topic of discussion? Whether Charles Darwin's latest treatise was fact or fiction.

Darwin, a unique combination of recluse and intellectual daredevil hailing from Kent, boldly claimed to have unraveled the "mystery of mysteries" by presenting a logical explanation for how species originated and evolved through natural selection. The stakes were high on that lively summer day of fervent debate - the very essence of modern biology and even the future of the church were on the line. Darwin's thesis was poised to forever alter our comprehension of life sciences and the natural world. Interestingly, the author himself was notably absent from the debate hall, taking solace miles away as he battled a series of illnesses that had plagued him for much of his life.

Howard Markel, a medical historian, chronicles the period from 1858 to 1860 when Darwin penned On the Origin of Species, charting its remarkable success and ensuing controversy. Concurrently, Markel delves into the perplexing health issues that Darwin grappled with, conducting extensive research to pinpoint a definitive diagnosis for a case that has long intrigued medical historians. The outcome is a vivid portrayal of Darwin, his supporters and adversaries, and his seminal work, which still reverberates today. Accompanied by 83 illustrations, Origin Story offers a compelling narrative that sheds light on Darwin’s enduring legacy in the realms of both science and medicine.

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