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 FitzRoy was not just 'Darwin's captain': 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 which made the lives of all sailors who came after him so much safer. 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.
"[A] superb and moving biography."--Toby Green, Independent
"[A] finely drawn portrait that emerges from FitzRoy is of a very British hero in the mould of Nelson, who sacrificed his health and personal fortune in the service of his country."--Gavin Bell, Daily Telegraph
"FitzRoy is a fine read and a well-balanced narrative of his life, from his early days as a sailor, through to his time at the helm of the Beagle, and then onwards to his meteorological research."--Dave Musgrove, Living History
