The Gene
An Intimate History
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Vintage Publishing
Published:23rd Mar '17
Should be back in stock very soon
This book explores the profound effects of genetics on humanity, weaving personal and historical narratives together. The Gene is a captivating read.
Spanning the globe and several centuries, The Gene tells the compelling story of humanity's quest to decode the master-code that defines our very existence. This endeavor not only explores the intricate relationship between genetics and our physical form but also delves into the author's personal narrative, revealing a family history marked by recurring mental illness. Through this lens, we are reminded of the profound impact that genetics has on our daily lives and identities.
The narrative begins in an Augustinian abbey in 1856 and takes readers on a journey through significant milestones in genetic science. From Darwin's revolutionary theory of evolution to the chilling implications of Nazi eugenics, the story progresses to contemporary advancements in genome research. As we learn to 'read' and 'write' the human genome, The Gene raises critical questions about the ethical implications of altering our biological destinies.
With its majestic scope and ambition, The Gene offers a definitive account of the history of genetic science, while painting a vivid picture of humanity's past and future. It serves as a vital exploration for anyone interested in understanding the potential consequences of our genetic choices, making it a must-read for fans of works like Sapiens and A Brief History of Time.
With a marriage of architectural precision and luscious narrative, an eye for both the paradoxical detail and the unsettling irony, and a genius for locating the emotional truths buried in chemical abstractions, Mukherjee leaves you feeling as though you’ve just aced a college course for which you’d been afraid to register — and enjoyed every minute of it -- Andrew Solomon * Washington Post *
[Siddhartha Mukherjee] is the perfect person to guide us through the past, present, and future of genome science… It is up to all of us—not just scientists, government officials, and people fortunate enough to lead foundations—to think hard about these new technologies and how they should and should not be used. Reading The Gene will get you the point where you can actively engage in that debate. -- Bill Gates * Gatesnotes *
The Gene is prodigious, sweeping, and ultimately transcendent. If you’re interested in what it means to be human, today and in the tomorrows to come, you must read this book. -- Anthony Doerr, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of All the Light We Cannot See
Dramatic and precise... [A] thrilling and comprehensive account of what seems certain to be the most radical, controversial and, to borrow from the subtitle, intimate science of our time... He is a natural storyteller... A page-turner... Read this book and steel yourself for what comes next. -- Bryan Appleyard * Sunday Times *
The story […] has been told, piecemeal, in different ways, but never before with the scope and grandeur that Siddhartha Mukherjee brings to his new history, The Gene. He fully justifies the claim that it is “one of the most powerful and dangerous ideas in the history of science.” … Definitive -- James Gleick * New York Times Book Review *
- Short-listed for Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize 2016 (UK)
- Short-listed for Wellcome Book Prize 2017 (UK)
ISBN: 9780099584575
Dimensions: 197mm x 128mm x 31mm
Weight: 452g
608 pages