Darwin - My Ancestor

Writer and poet Ruth Padel investigates the qualities of her great great grandfather Charles Darwin and attempts to discover the man behind the science.

Ruth explores how Darwin developed the sense of wonder and curiosity about nature which would be so crucial to his work. She investigates how important his childhood collecting was to him and asks how his enthusiasm developed into a scientific understanding of the world around him. Among her interviewees are Darwin's biographer Janet Browne, geologist Richard Fortey, writer and fellow Darwin descendant Randal Keynes and Darwin scholar Gillian Beer.

Writer and poet Ruth Padel on how Darwin developed his sense of wonder and curiosity.

Writer and poet Ruth Padel investigates her great great grandfather Charles Darwin

Writer and poet Ruth Padel investigates the qualities of her great great grandfather Charles Darwin and attempts to discover the man behind the science.

Ruth explores how Darwin developed the sense of wonder and curiosity about nature which would be so crucial to his work. She investigates how important his childhood collecting was to him and asks how his enthusiasm developed into a scientific understanding of the world around him. Among her interviewees are Darwin's biographer Janet Browne, geologist Richard Fortey, writer and fellow Darwin descendant Randal Keynes and Darwin scholar Gillian Beer.

Writer and poet Ruth Padel on how Darwin developed his sense of wonder and curiosity.

Writer and poet Ruth Padel investigates her great great grandfather Charles Darwin

Writer and poet Ruth Padel investigates the qualities of her great great grandfather Charles Darwin and attempts to discover the man behind the science.

Ruth explores how her ancestor established relationships as a husband and father and became a family man, able to blend playing with children and working on scientific experiments. She investigates how Darwin's curiosity about nature found expression in the study of his children and she also explores the unique relationship between Darwin and his wife Emma. Ruth also travels to Darwin's home, Down House in Kent, to follow his footsteps in the places that he loved to walk.

Among her interviewees are Darwin biographer Janet Browne, writer and fellow Darwin descendant Randal Keynes and Darwin experts from Down House.

Ruth Padel explores how Darwin established relationships as a husband and father.

Writer and poet Ruth Padel investigates her great great grandfather Charles Darwin

Writer and poet Ruth Padel investigates the qualities of her great great grandfather Charles Darwin and attempts to discover the man behind the science.

Ruth explores how her ancestor established relationships as a husband and father and became a family man, able to blend playing with children and working on scientific experiments. She investigates how Darwin's curiosity about nature found expression in the study of his children and she also explores the unique relationship between Darwin and his wife Emma. Ruth also travels to Darwin's home, Down House in Kent, to follow his footsteps in the places that he loved to walk.

Among her interviewees are Darwin biographer Janet Browne, writer and fellow Darwin descendant Randal Keynes and Darwin experts from Down House.

Ruth Padel explores how Darwin established relationships as a husband and father.

Writer and poet Ruth Padel investigates her great great grandfather Charles Darwin

Writer and poet Ruth Padel investigates the qualities of her great great grandfather Charles Darwin and attempts to discover the man behind the science.

Ruth explores the losses which Darwin experienced in his life, how he coped with them and in what ways they shaped his view of the world. He saw three of his children die, one of which affected him particularly deeply and caused him to lose much of his religious belief. He also had to cope with the death of his mother when he was a boy, the loss of his own health and almost losing his research for On the Origin of Species.

Among Ruth's interviewees are Darwin biographer Janet Browne, writer and fellow Darwin descendant Randal Keynes and the former Bishop of Oxford, Richard Harries.

Ruth explores the losses which Darwin experienced in his life and their effect on him.

Writer and poet Ruth Padel investigates her great great grandfather Charles Darwin

Writer and poet Ruth Padel investigates the qualities of her great great grandfather Charles Darwin and attempts to discover the man behind the science.

Ruth explores the losses which Darwin experienced in his life, how he coped with them and in what ways they shaped his view of the world. He saw three of his children die, one of which affected him particularly deeply and caused him to lose much of his religious belief. He also had to cope with the death of his mother when he was a boy, the loss of his own health and almost losing his research for On the Origin of Species.

Among Ruth's interviewees are Darwin biographer Janet Browne, writer and fellow Darwin descendant Randal Keynes and the former Bishop of Oxford, Richard Harries.

Ruth explores the losses which Darwin experienced in his life and their effect on him.

Writer and poet Ruth Padel investigates her great great grandfather Charles Darwin

Writer and poet Ruth Padel investigates the qualities of her great great grandfather Charles Darwin and attempts to discover the man behind the science.

Ruth explores the way in which Darwin became a writer and was able to turn scientific theory into readable prose. She looks at the works he read in his early life that shaped his literary imagination and investigates how his writings on the Beagle voyage marked the beginning of his career as an author. Ruth also investigates the continuing power of his books and asks how later novelists were affected by his work.

Among her interviewees are Darwin scholar Gillian Beer, geologist Richard Fortey, writer and fellow Darwin descendant Randal Keynes and the former Bishop of Oxford, Richard Harries.

Ruth Padel explores the way in which Darwin learned to become a writer.

Writer and poet Ruth Padel investigates her great great grandfather Charles Darwin

Writer and poet Ruth Padel investigates the qualities of her great great grandfather Charles Darwin and attempts to discover the man behind the science.

Ruth explores the way in which Darwin became a writer and was able to turn scientific theory into readable prose. She looks at the works he read in his early life that shaped his literary imagination and investigates how his writings on the Beagle voyage marked the beginning of his career as an author. Ruth also investigates the continuing power of his books and asks how later novelists were affected by his work.

Among her interviewees are Darwin scholar Gillian Beer, geologist Richard Fortey, writer and fellow Darwin descendant Randal Keynes and the former Bishop of Oxford, Richard Harries.

Ruth Padel explores the way in which Darwin learned to become a writer.

Writer and poet Ruth Padel investigates her great great grandfather Charles Darwin