The complete library of Charles Darwin revealed for the first time

Charles Darwin accumulated a vast personal library throughout his working life.

Until now, 85% of its contents were unknown or unpublished.

The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online project has identified thousands of Darwin 's obscure references in his own catalogs and lists of items such as pamphlets and journals that were originally in his library.

The Darwins purchased a copy of the popular science book on gorillas that was all the rage just after Origin of species was published: Paul Du Chaillu's Explorations and adventures in equatorial Africa .

Of the thousands of shorter items also found in Darwin 's library, there were also shorter items such as an issue of a German scientific periodical sent to him in 1877 .