Our methods.
Dan Lewis initiated our project by providing us with all the data he had collected over the years on the whereabouts and characteristics of the first editions of the Origin of Species. Because we were given a great amount of flexibility and freedom, at first our team was unsure of how we could make use of the data. After many brainstorming sessions and a few attempts to learn how to effectively code, we eventually decided to create a series different data visualizations to follow the first edition. These ideas solidified into a playful Twine game which chronicles the journeys of 19 copies that had particularly interesting provenance notes. We also created interactive maps, one of which displays the current location of all of the known first edition copies while the other showcases the first and last stops of the aforementioned 19 copies. Our last visualization makes use of time by creating a moving timeline of a couple of the most well-traveled books.
Then came a game.
Our team began by parsing through all of Dan’s data to find the most interesting provenance trails. We narrowed down our search to 19 of the first edition copies that either had the longest trails or held the most engaging stories and ownership. Each member of the team chose 3-4 copies and conducted research based on the information provided in the provenance notes. We devised individual stories and corresponding images for each “stop” that would be used within the Twine game. While the book itself is of extreme importance, we found that the stories and lives behind each owner were actually the most intriguing. Chelly, our Interactive Narrative Lead, compiled all of our stories and coded them into Twine to complete our finished game.
Mapping it out.
After we completed our work for the Twine game, our team realized that the majority of the copies that we had chosen had concentrated in similar areas over time. Specifically, many of the copies began in London, England, but are currently housed within the United States. We decided to use the same data to create an interactive map that traces the first and last stops of the 19 copies so that viewers could easily visualize the unique paths that these books have taken. We chose Palladio, Stanford’s Humanities and Design program, to demonstrate the relationships between our data. The program required latitude and longitudinal coordinates to place points on the map so we adjusted our data sets accordingly.
In addition to the more specialized map, we also created a map of all 300+ copies of the Origin of Species. Carto played a pivotal role as the program for this data visualization. Our team imported Dan’s data into Carto’s database and experimented with the functions to see how to best display our data. The finished product uses an aggregation set to showcase the density of the books’ current locations. Viewers are able to interact with the map to see the concentration of copies in different areas of the world. They can also use the widgets on the right side to toggle books within specific cities and countries. We hope that our data visualizations will help successfully describe the scope and reach of Darwin’s Origin of Species.
In addition to the more specialized map, we also created a map of all 300+ copies of the Origin of Species. Carto played a pivotal role as the program for this data visualization. Our team imported Dan’s data into Carto’s database and experimented with the functions to see how to best display our data. The finished product uses an aggregation set to showcase the density of the books’ current locations. Viewers are able to interact with the map to see the concentration of copies in different areas of the world. They can also use the widgets on the right side to toggle books within specific cities and countries. We hope that our data visualizations will help successfully describe the scope and reach of Darwin’s Origin of Species.
Searching for clues.
Throughout the quarter we had several chances to view copies of the first edition of the Origin of Species. We spoke with curator Russell Johnson in the special collections of the UCLA Biomedical Library, as well as with senior curator Dan Lewis at the Huntington Library. One subject that we did not realize would be so crucial to understanding the influence and history behind the book was physical condition of the book itself and how that relates to value for book collectors.
In order to relay our findings, we decided to create a guide to old books and what one should look for when trying to identify the true first edition of On the Origin of Species. We used the knowledge of both Russell and Dan to write our guide and we examined each facet of the book. It was surprising to learn that there are actually many different ways to look for the first edition copy, as there were many changes that were made to certain lines as each new edition came out. Although the chances of coming into contact with a newly discovered first edition are slim, we hope that reading the guide will inform you on the notable differences in the first edition as well as the great importance of the book itself.
In order to relay our findings, we decided to create a guide to old books and what one should look for when trying to identify the true first edition of On the Origin of Species. We used the knowledge of both Russell and Dan to write our guide and we examined each facet of the book. It was surprising to learn that there are actually many different ways to look for the first edition copy, as there were many changes that were made to certain lines as each new edition came out. Although the chances of coming into contact with a newly discovered first edition are slim, we hope that reading the guide will inform you on the notable differences in the first edition as well as the great importance of the book itself.
Photo © Peter Harrington Books