h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'd like to add a book I read recently:

"Evolution : The Remarkable History of a Scientific Theory", by Edward J. Larson.

It covers the history of evolutionary thought right from geology's dawning realisation that something evolution-y was afoot all the way through to the modern synthesis in the 1940's, via Cuvier, Lamarck, Darwin, Huxley, Mendel and beyond. It filled in quite a few gaps in my knowledge of evolution's background history. It's very clearly written and readily digestible. Highly recommended for those who want to know how science realised that life changes.

Ste

Ste, I added the book, and a slightly edited version of your comments as a summary.
P.

Loving Insane, Atomic Iguana
I added your suggestions and short summaries, and added appropriate credits to the summary page for you (and Ste).