Fitzroy: The Remarkable Story of Darwin's Captain and the Invention of the Weather Forecast

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Admiral FitzRoy made his name as a captain on the HMS Beagle. It was for his second voyage on the ship (1831-36) that he decided to ask Charles Darwin to accompany him, and it was during this time that Darwin began to develop the ideas that would lead him to his theory of evolution by natural selection. But there was so much more to FitzRoy than this: he was an MP, he was the second Governor of New Zealand from 1843-45 when he made himself unpopular with the settlers by upholding Maori rights, and in 1854 he set up the Meteorological Office. For the first time sailors were informed what weather to expect when they set sail. John and Mary Gribbin's portrait of this multi-talented man whose impact on modern life is still felt will fascinate all who read it.

Reviews

The finely drawn portrait that emerges...is of a very British hero in the mould of Nelson... Highly readable - Gavin Bell, Daily Telegraph

I would unhesitatingly recommend [FitzRoy] by John and Mary Gribbin. Not only is it more scholarly and better written, but the authors have made a greater effort to enter FitzRoy's world - Anthony Daniels, Sunday Telegraph

[A] superb and moving biography - Toby Green, Independent

A thorough, far more detailed account of FitzRoy's life, from his childhood to his final years as a frustrated meteorologist... A clear, conscientious but still intriguing account of a man who seemed destined for greatness - Robin McKie, Observer

Author Bio

John Gribbin gained a PhD in astrophysics at Cambridge University. He worked for both Nature and New Scientist magazines for many years and is the author of numerous books on science and related topics, which have been translated into more than 30 languages. Mary Gribbin was educated at the University of Sussex, and has written for New Scientist and the Guardian. She is the author of many books, some co-authored with her husband.