The Beagle has become synonymous with Charles Darwin and his groundbreaking title On the Origin of Species. But how did Darwin come to be on board? Now reissued in paperback, in a single volume all the various strands of the Beagle story have been woven together to reveal the circumstances that set the expedition in motion and the characters who circumnavigated the world together. Enriched with first-hand commentary from personal letters and diaries, and the official narrative of the voyage, as well as artworks, sketches and charts produced by the shipboard artists and surveyors, James Taylor has produced a thoroughly engaging and informative account that will appeal to historians, scientists, art lovers, and anyone with a sense of adventure.