Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters (P.S.)

Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters (P.S.)
by Matt Ridley

Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters (P.S.)
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Book Summary Information

Author: Matt Ridley
Edition: Paperback
Published: 2006-06-01
ISBN: 0060894083
Number of pages: 368
Publisher: Harper Perennial

Book Reviews of Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters (P.S.)

Book Review: serendipitous genes
Summary: 5 Stars

I am not a geneticist and therefore have a very tiny knowledge of our genes. I am however, intensely interested in them, and in learning about them, so I bought this book as a result of searching and recommendations. And I am THOROUGHLY enjoying it! I am not understanding all of it, of course. The entire book is crammed with information, but in such a wonderful writing style that it becomes joyful to be fed massive treasure troves of facts and figures.
One thing that I have come to realize with more and more clarity as I have read this book is how obvious our evolutionary past is, if one is willing to dig deeper into our inner workings. Another is just how incredibly intricate our bodies are and our genes work in tiny and astounding simplicity and great detail, in order and in chaos, in adherence to laws and utter refusal to conform.
For someone with interest in our genes or the Human Genome Project, this is a must-read. For those who aren't interested, then it doesn't really matter, because you likely aren't reading this review anyway.

Summary of Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters (P.S.)

Science writer Matt Ridley has found a way to tell someone else's story without being accused of plagiarism. Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters delves deep within your body (and, to be fair, Ridley's too) looking for dirt dug up by the Human Genome Project. Each chapter pries one gene out of its chromosome and focuses on its role in our development and adult life, but also goes further, exploring the implications of genetic research and our quickly changing social attitudes toward this information. Genome shies away from the "tedious biochemical middle managers" that only a nerd could love and instead goes for the A-material: genes associated with cancer, intelligence, sex (of course), and more.

Readers unfamiliar with the jargon of genetic research needn't fear; Ridley provides a quick, clear guide to the few words and concepts he must use to translate hard science into English. His writing is informal, relaxed, and playful, guiding the reader so effortlessly through our 23 chromosomes that by the end we wish we had more. He believes that the Human Genome Project will be as world-changing as the splitting of the atom; if so, he is helping us prepare for exciting times--the hope of a cure for cancer contrasts starkly with the horrors of newly empowered eugenicists. Anyone interested in the future of the body should get a head start with the clever, engrossing Genome. --Rob Lightner


The genome's been mapped.
But what does it mean?

Arguably the most significant scientific discovery of the new century, the mapping of the twenty-three pairs of chromosomes that make up the human genome raises almost as many questions as it answers. Questions that will profoundly impact the way we think about disease, about longevity, and about free will. Questions that will affect the rest of your life.

Genome offers extraordinary insight into the ramifications of this incredible breakthrough. By picking one newly discovered gene from each pair of chromosomes and telling its story, Matt Ridley recounts the history of our species and its ancestors from the dawn of life to the brink of future medicine. From Huntington's disease to cancer, from the applications of gene therapy to the horrors of eugenics, Matt Ridley probes the scientific, philosophical, and moral issues arising as a result of the mapping of the genome. It will help you understand what this scientific milestone means for you, for your children, and for humankind.

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