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Genome: The Autobiography Of A Species In 23 Chapters (P.S.)
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Review
?Remarkable. . . . Hops from one human chromosome to the next in search of the most delightful stories.?--"New York Times Book Review?A fascinating tour of the human genome. . . . If you want to catch a glimpse of the biotech century that is now dawning, and how it will make life better for us all, Genome is an excellent place to start.?--"Wall Street Journal?A superb writer whose exquisite, often moving descriptions of life's designs remind me of the best work of the late Lewis Thomas. . . . He crafts some of the clearest explanations of complex biological processes that I have encountered. What's more, he captures their slippery beauty.?-- Susan Okie, "Washington Post Book World?Ridley is a lucid, engaging and enthusiastic guide to the double-helical DNA that comprises our inheritable human essence.?-- "Los Angeles Times Book Review?Ridley can explain with equal verve difficult moral issues, philosophical quandaries and technical biochemistry; he distinguishes facts from opinions well, and he's not shy about offering either. Among many recent books on genes, behavior and evolution, Ridley's is one of the most informative. It's also the most fun to read.?--"Publishers Weekly (starredreview)?Superb popular science writing and cogent public affairs argumentation.?--"Booklist (starred review)?An engrossing account of the genetic history of our species. . . . This book will be particularly relevant to lay readers, providing insight into how far we have come and where we are heading in the understanding of our genetic heritage.?--"Library Journal?Ridley . . . deftly takes up the story of the genome in 23 chapters in clear entertaining prose. Eminently readable, compelling and important.?--"Kirkus Reviews?A lucid and exhilarating romp through our 23 human chromosomes that lets us see how nature and nature combine to make us human.?--James Watson?With riveting anecdotes, clever analogies and compelling writing, Matt Ridley makes the human genome come alive for us. I was left in awe at the wonder of the human body, and the scientists who unravel its mysteries.?--Abraham Verghese, author of " The Tennis Partner ?Clever, up-to-the-minute informative, and an altogether spellbinding read. Ridley does just what a first-rate journalist should do: get it right, make in interesting, then wisely put it all in perspective.? --SarahHardy, author of " Mother Nature?"Genome is a tour de force: clear, witty, timely and informed by an intelligence that sees new knowledge as a blessing and not a curse. . . . A cracking read.?--"Times (of London)?Matt Ridley's brilliant new book is eloquent and up-to-date. . . . A much needed breath of fresh air.?--"Daily Telegraph?Compelling. . . . Spectacular. . . . This is one of those rare books in which the intellectual excitement continues to rise from what already seems an almost impossibly high plateau. . . . Not even the scientifically purblind will fail to perceive the momentous nature of the issues he raises.?--"Spectator? A dazzling work of popular science, offering clarity and inspiration. . . . Witty erudition.?--"Guardian?Erudition, intriguing sequences of anecdotes and . . . stylish prose. The combination has resulted in the best popular science book I have read this year, a worthy autobiography of mankind.?--"Observer?An exciting voyage . . . very much up-to-date . . . Ridley includes just the right amount of history and personal anecdote to spice up science. He's a good storyteller.?-- "ScientificAmerican?An extraordinarily nimble synthesist, Ridley leaps from chromosome to chromosome in a handy summation of our ever increasing understanding of the roles that genes play in disease, behavior, sexual differences, and even intelligence. More important, though, he addresses not only the ethical quandaries faced by contemporary scientists but the reductionist danger in equating inheritability with inevitability.?-- "The New Yorker?Matt Ridley [writes] with a combination of biblical awe, scientific curiosity and wit about what many consider the greatest scientific breakthrough of the 20th century and the greatest technological challenge of the 21st: the discovery of the molecular basis of life and its many applications in medicine, law, and commerce.?-- "Dallas Morning News?Thoroughly fascinating. . . . A sophisticated blending of science and public policy certain to educate, entertain, challenge and stimulate even the least technologically inclined reader.?--"Philadephia Inquirer?Lively phrasing and vivid analogies . . . I gained an appreciation for the incredible complexity of human beings.?--"Minneapolis Star-Tribune?With skillful writing and masterful knowledge of his subject matter, Ridley conveys a wealth of information about what we currentlyknow, or think we know, about the human genome?No well-educated person can afford to remain ignorant of this advancing science. GENOME provides a sound and engaging introduction.?--Austin American-Statesman
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About the Author
Matt Ridley is the award-winning, bestselling author of several books, including The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves; Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters; and The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature. His books have sold more than one million copies in thirty languages worldwide. He writes regularly for The Times (London) and The Wall Street Journal, and is a member of the House of Lords. He lives in England.
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Product details
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Harper Perennial; Reprint edition (May 30, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0060894083
ISBN-13: 978-0060894085
Product Dimensions:
5.3 x 0.8 x 8 inches
Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review:
4.4 out of 5 stars
345 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
#113,224 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Was disappointed at the date of the book . Originally published in 1999 , then 2002 , then 2006 . At that age the book is barely relevant to today's fast pace . Amazon should go out it's way to specifically note the latest published date especially with tech books.Not a keeper
As a molecular biologist, I read it for perspective. I think the average person would be surprised by the science and the content. It is well written and well grounded in science
Although ostensibly about DNA and the human genome, it is actually more of a philosophical view of the human condition using a handful of genes as examples of the way us naked apes function, mentally, physically, emotionally, even socially. The book thankfully does not often get heavily into the deep scientific aspects of DNA research.For the most part, an entertaining book written in a generally engaging manner. As mentioned elsewhere, it is a bit uneven. Sometimes Mr. Ridley had to really reach to come up with a gene that he could write about, or enough to say about it to pad the article out to chapter length. Somewhere around chromosome 17 or 18, I don't know if he started running out of steam or I did. Don't try to read the whole thing continuously; take a few days off between chapters, you'll find it easier to maintain enthusiasm.
I bought this book as a text book for a class I was dreading. I am NOT a math or science person, but the subject matter is of interest. This book is a pleasant surprise. It dumbs down the material enough for us novices, but still is written intelligently where we have to reach a bit to understand it. I actually enjoyed most of the book and couple with my professor's teaching style, I learned and retained a lot more than I imagined. Would be a great book as an introduction for personal knowledge and growth, for math and science people as well as those of us who are not.
I would give the book 4.5 stars. With a Masters degree in molecular biology, I was able to understand all (well, nearly all) of the biological, evolutionary and genetic concepts introduced and discussed in the book. However, I surmise that someone without a degree/knowledge of biology, and in particular molecular genetics, some concepts in the book may be slightly difficult to understand fully.However, having said that, Matt Ridley is an outstanding writer. He makes dry topics sound interesting, stimulating and geniuinely exciting - all of which makes the book a page turner. He does a very good, albeit not flawless, job of explaining biological/genetic concepts for the laymen. However, I would recommend, especially for the laymen, to read slower in order to really understand what the author is saying. It's easy to understand the big picture, but to truly understand the topics/concepts the author discusses occasionally requires re-reading some passages and paying attention to details.The only complaint, is that despite Ridley's otherwise excellent explanations, it seems that at times he is in a hurry and glosses over some concepts, leaving the reader on his/her own to grasp the concepts. However, this does not happen too frequently in the book, and either way someone else may have a different interpretation from me.None of the above, I should note, should be taken as though Ridley's writing is difficult and/or technical. It absolutely is not. It is written in an easy prose, with very little technical jargon, which even when present, is explained fully. The occasional difficulty noted above, lies not with linguistics, but with biological/genetic concepts.Otherwise, I highly recommend for anyone!
Although I've read books about DNA before, this one had quite a few new surprises and insights in it. For instance, each time a cell duplicates itself (during embyology or in the process of everyday bodily upkeep), a cell copies its DNA, but fails to copy the first few letters of each DNA strand. Thus the strand gets a little shorter each time it is copied. Each chromosome is equipped with a "telomere", a several-thousand letter buffer zone on the ends which can be safely discarded. Thus, one of the limits to human life spans (or other animals for that matter) is the number of times a cell can be duplicated before it starts to lose meaningful DNA. The DNA of sex cells do not shorten when copied because of a repair enzyme known as telomerase. Perhaps immortality depends upon (among other things) using telomerase in other cells.Cells must be able to duplicate in order to repair damage due to daily wear and tear. But the duplication must be kept under strict control; cancer is the uncontrolled duplication of cells. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy work by damaging cell DNA, which triggers the body's own tumor-suppression genes to cause the tumor cells to self-destruct.I had never heard before that genes can be switched on and off in response to external events, and that give a whole new dynamic view to the genome. Ridley explains that most genes in most cells at any given time are "turned off". But, for example, the body makes cortisol in response to stress, and cortisol is made by switching on a gene that produces an enzyme to convert cholesterol into cortisol. He gives the impression that this is not some isolated case, but commonplace in everyday events. This leads to implications on free will vs. genetic determinism.Free willRidley gives the best description of free will I've ever heard: "If genes can affect behavior and behavior can affect genes, then the causality is circular. And in a system of circular feedbacks, hugely unpredictable results can follow from simple deterministic processes." This is an example of a chaotic system, like the weather. Tiny variations in input conditions soon yield enormous differences in output, and the weather is thus unpredictable in detail beyond a few days in advance (although we know general patterns, such as the fact that summer will be warmer than winter). "This interaction of genetic and external influences makes my behavior unpredictable, but not undetermined. In the gap between those words lies freedom."
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