Charles and Emma

This was an interesting story that I think helps give more perspective on Charles Darwin the person and the struggles he experienced as he developed his Theory of Evolution.

The relationship between Charles and Emma is so important to the story but also to the life of Charles himself. Having the support and love of his wife was important to his work. While he struggled so much with the theories he begin to develop and the affect of sharing it with the world, it is easy to see how much having Emma meant to him. I love the quote from Francis Darwin on the facing page of Chapter 1, "In her presence he found his happiness, and through her, his life." If only we could all say that about the significant other in our lives! Having Emma in his corner gave Charles enough strength to share his theories with the world. And while he experienced tremendous backlash from his studies, he always knew he had Emma as a backbone, stead and sure.

The plot of the story moves along well as we experience the life that Charles and Emma had together. It's peppered with quotes from letters and other writings that help us hear these "characters" in their own words. Its one of the most wonderful things about the age of letter-writing - the sheer volume of accounts that can really give a better grasp on how a person thought and felt. And there is no better way than through their own words. I love when books include snippets from real life. I feel like it makes the person more real and not a distant entity that is so far removed from our own lives.

The books talks a lot about how to help science and religion co-exist peacefully. It's an important message for us all to realize. They try to hammer this point home over and over again, which can get a little redundant. While I think repetition has its place in children's books, I think its a bit of an overkill for a YA book. Teenagers prefer something subtler because they don't want to be thought of as children. We need to understand there is commonality in all of us and even seemingly disparate people like Charles and Emma can lead a wonderful life together.