For Charles Darwin, the Galapagos Islands off the Ecuadoran coast kindled the spark of evolution in his mind. Ever since that time these islands, and their unique flora and fauna, have captivated visitors.  

This curiosity, sparked by the plants and animals, even played a passing movie role in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, a 2003 film starring Russell Crowe as captain of a British warship during the Napoleonic wars. Crowe’s character brings his ship to these islands to nurse his wounded friend back to health. Stepping ashore on the islands of Galapagos National Park, or swimming in their waters, is a magical moment. Henry Nicholls explains why in this 2014 book. Through ten chapters he explores the oddities and unique qualities of the islands, from rocks and ocean through the arrival of humans and their impacts. And, of course, he doesn’t overlook the locals.

It’s possible to get incredibly close to the wildlife in the Galapagos, and anyone who’s been to the islands will know just how moving this can be. It certainly was for the captain of HMS Blonde, George Byron. “The place is like a new creation,” he wrote of his experience of the islands in 1825. “The birds and beasts do not get out of our way; the pelicans and sea lions look in our faces as if we had no right to intrude on their solitude; the small birds are so tame that they hop upon our feet; and all this amidst volcanoes which are burning around us on either hand. Altogether it is a wild and desolate scene as imagination can picture.”

In compiling his narrative, Mr. Nicholls doesn't seem to miss anything. There are chapters on "Rocks," "Ocean," "Seabirds," "Land Birds," and, of course, "Reptiles." Through these chapters he introduces us to the various aspects -- animate and inanimate -- to be encountered on the Galapagos. For instance, did you know that the shade of blue in a blue-footed booby reflects the bird's health?

"What does foot colour reveal? At least a couple of things. First, it communicates something about the male's nutritional status. We know this because if a blue-footed booby is deprived of food for just forty-eight hours, the colour will rapidly drain from his feet. This is because he's no longer getting the natural carotenoid pigments from his diet that he uses to gloss his feet," writes the author. "Give him back his food, and the colour will flush back into them in a matter of hours. Second, foot colour may also reveal something about health. When researchers injected males with a low-level challenge to their immune system, their feet got progressively duller over the course of the infection. The reason for this is that the carotenoids play a role in stimulating the immune system. Only males in fine fettle can afford to channel these valuable compounds into their feet."

You'll also find several pages of full-color images from the Galapagos Islands -- a vibrant Vermilion flycatcher, a gathering of marine iguana, a blue-footed booby (of course), and a breaching humpback whale. 

There's also an appendix that can serve as a guide for your own trip to the Galapagos. And there’s information on the Friends of the Galapagos, which will help expand your knowledge. There are maps and diagrams that outline some of the volcanic activity, and plate tectonics, that created these islands and which is largely responsible for the unique ecosystems found there.

All in all, a very good primer in advance of your trip to the Galapagos.