10) The voyage of the Beagle

The voyage of the Beagle
By, Charles, Darwin

It took me 7 months to finish this book, Reason: Its sooo hard to read, the english is heavy and some sections of the book is soo boring its a drag to finish a page (or even a half).

Fom page 355 until the end it got iteresting and I finished that section in just 2 months, while the rest took for ever.
Yes its an old book, its a travel diary about a 5 year journey around the southern Hemisphere. Its a naturalist thats writing it and if you are not iterested in biologi (everyaspect of it) do not read this book. BUT if you are interested its a must, even if it will take you a long long time to finish it.

I'm a biologist but only interested in animals that has a spinalcord. Ie insects and plants are soo booring. That also makes some sections of this book boring.
Bt Darwins travels to the Galapagos Islands were my main point of interest in reading this book oh and new zealand, tahiti, Australia and the rest of the indian ocean and the pacific ocean.

I'm amazed over his stand point n so many things towards how human beings at this poit of time is treating eachother, didn't really think that he would have such a clear stand in 1800 human rights that he has. In the end he talk about how happy he is that he will never have to visit some of these countries with slavery again. Its also amazaing that during a five year journey he is only at one place med with no hospitality, its has bin amazing reading about all these locals he had met and their hospitality for him and almost eagerness to help grant him some of his dreams and whises he has in different areas.

I have 2 qoutes that I love:

"The common people when working: keep the upper part of their bodies quite naked; and it is then that the Tahitians are seen to advantage. They are very tall, broad-shouldered,athletic, and well-proportioned. It has been remarked, that it requires litte habit to make a dark skin more pleasing and natural to he eye of an European than his own colour." (pg: 384)
Its clearly the horny sigle woman inside me that gets moved here. I'm just visualsing tall, dark, well muscled men working in the sun and in my world that IS a pleasing sight.

"Farewell, Australia! you are a rising child, and doubtless someday will reign a great princess in the south: but you are too great and ambitious fo affection, yet not great enough for respect. I leave your shores without sorow or regret." (pg: 428)
Darwin did not fall in love with Australia, he saw the harsh reality of the continent, but clearly missed the most gorgeous area (the tropics).


So happy that I have completed it and as a colleague said: "You have read it, you have read Charles Darwins travel diary, thats amazing!".

I gve it a 2 mainly de to the botay bit, the HARD english grammar



page count: 135 + 1642= 1777