Q&A with Peter Sís about his book
The Tree of Life: Charles Darwin
"I have a fascination with people who are visionaries . . . I believe it is important to look at the story of our civilization and find these individuals who were exceptional and without whom we wouldn't be where we are."
- Peter Sís
In his highly anticipated new book, The Tree of Life: Chales Darwin (Farrar, Straus and Giroux / Frances Foster Books / October 2003 / $18.00), internationally renowned author and illustrator Peter Sís presents a multilayered, panoramic look at the life of one such individual who changed the course of human history-Charles Darwin.
In his signature style, Sís examines the personal, public, and secret lives of this nineteenth-century figure-from Darwin's youth, a time of intense introspection, questioning, and awe of the natural world; to Darwin's decision to stand up to his father and follow his own dreams in his university studies; to Darwin's trip on the Beagle-taking readers on a journey through the life of this icon of modern science and thinking. Sís's "incomparable imaginative originality" (Washington Post Book World) is on display as he brings the picture-book biography to new heights, drawing readers into the world he has created and surrounding them with layers of images and words that illuminate his subject.
;Featuring detailed and dramatic maps, charts, and a gatefold spread, this artistic analysis of Darwin chronicles the man behind the discoveries and theories. A companion book to Sís's acclaimed Starry Messenger: Galileo Galilei, The Tree of Life brings readers into Darwin's universe, private and public, and envelops them in the visions, ideas, and experiences of a man driven by his ideas and his ideals. Sís's extensive research and passion for his subject is evident in his text and illustrations. In the enclosed essay, Sís explains the creative process that brought the concept for the book to fruition and the personal and professional commitment he made to telling Darwin's story to readers of all ages.
Peter Sís is the award-winning author and illustrator of many books, including Tibet Through the Red Box and Starry Messenger: Galileo Galilei, both Caldecott Honor Books, and, most recently, Madlenka and Madlenka's Dog. He resides in New York with his family.
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Added 10/12/03
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