Edward Forbes published 2 non-fiction books and 7 other books, beginning with Malacologia Monensis (1838).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Edward Forbes
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Malacologia Monensis
Edward Forbes's most-read book.
Non-fiction in order
On the Educational Uses of Museums (1853)
Literary Papers (1855)
Other books in order
Malacologia Monensis (1838)
A History of British Star-fishes, and Other Animals of the Class Echinodermata (1841)
An Inaugural Lecture on Botany (1843)
An Inaugural Lecture on Botany, Considered as a Science, and as a Branch of Medical Education (1843)
On the Light Thrown on Geology by Submarine Researches (1844)
A History of British Mollusca and Their Shells (1853)
The Natural History of the European Seas (1859)
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About Edward Forbes
Edward Forbes FRS, FGS was a Manx naturalist. In 1846, he proposed that the distributions of montane plants and animals had been compressed downslope, and some oceanic islands connected to the mainland, during the recent ice age. This mechanism, which was the first natural explanation to explain the distributions of the same species on now-isolated islands and mountain tops, was discovered independently by Charles Darwin, who credited Forbes with the idea. He also incorrectly deduced the so-called azoic hypothesis, that life under the sea would decline to the point that no life forms could exist below a certain depth.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Edward Forbes FAQ
- How many books has Edward Forbes written?
- Edward Forbes published 2 non-fiction books and 7 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Edward Forbes's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Malacologia Monensis.
- What is Edward Forbes's last book?
- Literary Papers (1855).
- What is Edward Forbes's most famous book?
- Malacologia Monensis (1838) is Edward Forbes's most widely read book.
- Can I read Edward Forbes's books for free?
- Yes. 1 book by Edward Forbes is in the public domain in the US and free to read online or download here.
Authors like Edward Forbes
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.