Our understanding of life on earth is always developing. In this age of genetics and microbiology, Andreas Suchantke brings a lifetime of holistic biological research to the question of the development and evolution of plants and animals. Following Goethe's participatory method, and drawing on his observations from a number of continents, Suchantke presents evolution as an integrated dynamic process that unfolds on a far more fundamental level than Darwin's natural selection. Beautifully illustrated through the author's own drawings and colour photographs, this masterly work offers a rich, dynamic and deeply meaningful understanding of organic life.