On June 17th, 1858 (I know, I missed by less than an hour), Charles Darwin received a letter from Alfred Russel Wallace. The letter contained the explanation of the principle of natural selection. Thus, Darwin was forced to act, and act fast. After reading both Wallace’s and his own acccount of natural selection to the Royal Society, he got down to work. Instead of a multi-tome monograph he was planning on writing (which, if nothing else due its sheer size, would not have had quite as wide readership), he quickly jotted down a slim volume which, for the Victorian era, was a surprisingly easy and captivating read – The Origin of Species. The first edition was sold out on the very first day and the book became an instant hit. The rest, as they say, is history. (Hat-tip to my friend Jim who actually remembered the date and realized the anniversary of this momentous event was today, OK last night, but teh wine was good and I got home after midnight).

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