Charles Darwin, a man far ahead of his time, left an extraordinary scientific legacy - as influential to modern thought as Newton or Einstein. Yet, in his lifetime, he faced a barrage of criticism for his heretical new theories, both from those closest to him and from the leading scientific and religious thinkers of the day. It was only in death that Darwin was finally recognized as a great scientist by the establishment - and today his writings are regarded as seminal works. This book not only examines the man behind the science - a man plagued with ill health and personal tragedy - but explains the enormous impact of his thinking on topics such as natural selection, evolution and genetics, and brings its readers up to date in terms of how Darwinism has moulded modern scientific thought.