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  • Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters

  • What a fascinating read! I barely put down this book! Actually, I've read this book twice. Liked it that much! Although I am not a bench scientist per se, I'm a researcher at heart and by training. This book speaks perfectly to the <<Renaissance Researcher>> type in all of us.

    I f ... Continue

    What a fascinating read! I barely put down this book! Actually, I've read this book twice. Liked it that much! Although I am not a bench scientist per se, I'm a researcher at heart and by training. This book speaks perfectly to the <<Renaissance Researcher>> type in all of us.

    I find that the genetics courses I've taken would have been 'easier' had I read Matt Ridley's book "Genome" first. It's like a bedtime story -- chapter by chapter -- for adults who like to think. Who like to imagine. Who are visionaries in their own right and who see beyond the surface level of people and things and so much more. Matt writes efficiently and succinctly while captivating the reader... who walks away with a better grasp of what cannot be seen easily -- that being our genes and genetics. He is careful not to rule out the important role of the environment in genetics, as any number of us realize that genes need an environment in which to express themselves.

    I was especially intrigued by his discussion of male homosexuality. His work lends support to the idea that genetics play a significant part in determining one's sexuality. As a friend and acquaintance to any number of gay men, I deeply sympathize with this discussion. I've witnessed the struggles that some gay men experience, particularly those who are closeted. It's painful to watch, and all anyone can do is lend support while understanding that genes are expressing themselves within a given environment.

    With genomics and nanotechnology moving forward at the speed of light, Matt's book may be slightly outdated by some individuals' standards; however, the information is classic and, therefore, never goes out of style. Instead, we build on it. And we refer back to it. I would read this again in a nanosecond!

    

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• ― Kimberly Petrovic said on Oct 21, 2008 about the Paperback edition| Add your feedback

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  • I used this book in my investigation for a project for the Franklin Institute.

    

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• ― Batona said on Jun 4, 2007 about the Paperback edition| Add your feedback

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

Arguably the most significant scientific discoveru 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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Malaysian Bookworms (56)

• scienceNon-FictionBiologyEvolutionethics