Associate Professor and Associate Provost Erik Peterson‘s Understanding Charles Darwin was released on September 15 by Cambridge University Press. The monograph is part of Cambridge UP’s Understanding Life series.

According to the publisher’s blurb: “the legend of Charles Darwin has never been more alive or more potent, but by virtue of this, his legacy has become susceptible to myths and misunderstandings. Understanding Charles Darwin examines key questions such as what did Darwin’s work change about the world? In what ways is ‘Darwinism’ reflective of Darwin’s own views? What problems were left unsolved? In our elevation of Darwin to this iconic status, have we neglected to recognize the work of other scientists? The book also examines Darwin’s struggle with his religious beliefs, considering his findings, and whether he was truly an atheist. In this engaging account, Peterson paints an intimate portrait of Darwin from his own words in private correspondence and journals. The result is the Darwin you never knew.”