Wilhelm Roux (1850–1924) was a German zoologist and pioneer of experimental embryology. David Haig is the author of From Darwin to Derrida: Selfish Genes, Social Selves, and the Meanings of Life. A member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, he is George Putnam Professor of Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University. Richard Bondi is a translator and software engineer based in Mountain View, California.

Thanks to Haig and Bondi, I now see why this work might have intrigued Darwin and how it provides valuable insight into late nineteenth-century ideas about evolution and development. They make clear what Roux was doing, why, and how it mattered then — and still does today. The excellent translation and thoughtful editing make the ideas not only accessible but also more coherent than they may have been to many contemporary readers…This is a notable achievement that we can applaud.

Wilhelm Roux (1850–1924) was a German zoologist and pioneer of experimental embryology. David Haig is the author of From Darwin to Derrida: Selfish Genes, Social Selves, and the Meanings of Life. A member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, he is George Putnam Professor of Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University. Richard Bondi is a translator and software engineer based in Mountain View, California.

Thanks to Haig and Bondi, I now see why this work might have intrigued Darwin and how it provides valuable insight into late nineteenth-century ideas about evolution and development. They make clear what Roux was doing, why, and how it mattered then — and still does today. The excellent translation and thoughtful editing make the ideas not only accessible but also more coherent than they may have been to many contemporary readers…This is a notable achievement that we can applaud.

Wilhelm Roux (1850–1924) was a German zoologist and pioneer of experimental embryology. David Haig is the author of From Darwin to Derrida: Selfish Genes, Social Selves, and the Meanings of Life. A member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, he is George Putnam Professor of Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University. Richard Bondi is a translator and software engineer based in Mountain View, California.

Thanks to Haig and Bondi, I now see why this work might have intrigued Darwin and how it provides valuable insight into late nineteenth-century ideas about evolution and development. They make clear what Roux was doing, why, and how it mattered then — and still does today. The excellent translation and thoughtful editing make the ideas not only accessible but also more coherent than they may have been to many contemporary readers…This is a notable achievement that we can applaud.