Traces the extraordinary journeys of discovery of some key Victorian scientific travellers. Inspired by the likes of Darwin and his voyage on the Beagle, a new generation of naturalists and scientists set out to explore the tropical forests and mountain ranges, including Wallace, Spruce, Hooker and Kingsley. Bright Paradise vividly charts this exciting era of scientific advance.
Peter Raby lectures in Drama and English at Homerton College, Cambridge. His books include Fair Ophelia: A Life of Harriet Smithson Berlioz, Oscar Wilde, and the highly acclaimed biography Samuel Butler. He lives with his wife and family in a village on the edge of the fens.