Darwin's Apprentice

Darwin’s Apprentice is a unique book telling the story of an important yet often forgotten Darwinist, Sir John Lubbock, through the eyes of his archaeological and ethnographic collection. Both man and collection were witness to an extraordinary moment in the history of science and archaeology - the emotive scientific, religious and philosophical debate that was triggered by the publication of Darwin’s On the Origin of Species in 1859.

Darwin’s Apprentice looks at Lubbock’s critical, yet often over looked, role in the Darwinian campaign, including the ways in which Lubbock’s collections shaped both his work and personal life. Janet Owen writes in an approachable manner using a chronological narrative, making it accessible and informative to both the non-academic and academic reader, including those with no prior knowledge of John Lubbock.