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bexsmith's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
3.75
There were sections that got a bit too jargony for me and went over my head a little, others that felt repetitive, but others that were downright fascinating.
nathday's review against another edition
3.0
I was torn between whether to finalise my rating at a four or 3, as Rutherford is a very crafty wordsmith and brings a lot of humour and charm to writing about his work. Filled with fascinating tales about the discovery of the gene, the vanguard of this field that remains and history that accompanies it, it’s very well rounded. However, I found certain parts of the book to be a little repetitive and others to leave me a little lost and confused, with no real idea of how to grasp what was being explained. This is purely down to my scientific literacy, but felt the book could’ve been shorter and a little kinder to the layman is possible.
7/10
7/10
sbletham's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
4.5
aimeesbookishlife's review against another edition
4.0
A really interesting explanation of genetics for the lay person, informative and explained thoroughly in a way that's easy to understand.
The chapter about race was particularly interesting and anyone with an interest in race relations would do well to read it. I was surprised to learn that the genetic difference between two black people from different parts of Sub-Saharan Africa (for instance and Ethiopian a and a Congolese person) is greater than the genetic difference between, say, a black Ethiopian and a white Swede.
I have listened to Adam Rutheford on Radio 4 for years, so I got this book from Audible and was able to listen to Adam's lovely voice reading to me on my commute. This definitely added to my enjoyment of the book.
The chapter about race was particularly interesting and anyone with an interest in race relations would do well to read it. I was surprised to learn that the genetic difference between two black people from different parts of Sub-Saharan Africa (for instance and Ethiopian a and a Congolese person) is greater than the genetic difference between, say, a black Ethiopian and a white Swede.
I have listened to Adam Rutheford on Radio 4 for years, so I got this book from Audible and was able to listen to Adam's lovely voice reading to me on my commute. This definitely added to my enjoyment of the book.