Sir Ronald A Fisher is one of the best- known statisticians of this century. After becoming disaffected with the UK academic environment, he moved to the University of Adelaide, to whom he entrusted the copyright of all his works. Professor Henry Bennett worked with him at the University of Adelaide and has access to all of Fisher's material, published and unpublished. Professor J H Bennett: University of Adelaide, Box 498, G.P.O., Adelaide, South Australia 5001 fax: 00 61 8 8303 4399

• Foreword by Professor Henry Bennett ; The genetical theory of natural selection: 1930 edition ; Appendix 1: Fisher's unpublished and 1958 revised edition amendments ; Appendix 2: Editorial notes ; Appendix 3: List of papers published by R A Fisher on topics related to The genetical theory of natural selection

For a book that I rate only second in importance within evolution theory to Darwin's "Origin" as joined with its supplement, "Descent of Man", and as, in my opinion, undoubtedly one of the greatest books of the present century, the appearance of a variorum version of the Genetical Theory of Natural Selection is a major event ... In some ways some of us have overtaken Fisher; in many, however, this brilliant, daring man is still far in front.