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908 reviews for:
The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race
Walter Isaacson
4.16 AVERAGE
908 reviews for:
The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race
Walter Isaacson
4.16 AVERAGE
A thriller of science tale, the race to be the first to publish revolutionary finding, and the overall amazing story of CRISPR. I still am not sure exactly how it is that one enzyme can "snip" a gene out, or put something else in, but that's just me. It's a fascinating story, and a reminder that science isn't always just about the discovery itself, but the accolades that come with it too. All of the scientists discussed here are giants.
I loved this book. Walter Isaacson does a fabulous job of making the science accessible to non-experts. I now truly understand the basics of CRISPR technology and all of its potential. Isaacson also does an amazing job of stitching together so many brilliant scientists and their work into a compelling story. The scientists are fascinating and so are their processes, their training, and their collaboration and competition. I can't stop talking about this book!!
DNF this is my fourth Isaacson book and I guess I have mixed feelings about his writing. Whilst I loved his biography of B Franklin and Einstein, I couldn’t finish the Steve Jobs one either.
In this work, I didn’t like the meandering subjects that he covers. I realise that it’s not a biography but it certainly covered too much terrain for me. It also seemed to have a bias for American scientists.
I read around 60% and then realised that I was not enjoying myself. Life is just too short…
In this work, I didn’t like the meandering subjects that he covers. I realise that it’s not a biography but it certainly covered too much terrain for me. It also seemed to have a bias for American scientists.
I read around 60% and then realised that I was not enjoying myself. Life is just too short…
Slow pace… didn’t finish by book club date. Thought it was interesting, though complex.
An important read....
With a flair for the dramatic, Isaacson relates the story of how RNA was dissected and the competitive shenanigans that went on in the race to be first.
This is an easy read on a complex subject. The story of the discovery is fascinating by itself, but Isaacson adds the debate about the moral and ethical questions regarding gene manipulation.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to truly understand not only our current pandemic, but where our future may lie. This one gets five stars. *****
With a flair for the dramatic, Isaacson relates the story of how RNA was dissected and the competitive shenanigans that went on in the race to be first.
This is an easy read on a complex subject. The story of the discovery is fascinating by itself, but Isaacson adds the debate about the moral and ethical questions regarding gene manipulation.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to truly understand not only our current pandemic, but where our future may lie. This one gets five stars. *****
3.5. Another good book about women in science.
I read this for a library non-fiction discussion. I was not very familiar with gene editing and CRISPR before reading this, so I learned a lot. The book did start out kind of slow, but got more interesting during the last third when they were talking about the applications to the Covid vaccines, probably because I was more familiar with that. This book did help clarify terminology that I had heard in the news in a way that was understandable to the layman. Parts of the book were very technical, but they were interspersed with the personal stories of the scientists. So, if I found myself getting lost or bored, I would soon be "rescued" by the non-technical side. One does learn the many paths that people take to enter a scientific career and the book along with telling Jennifer Doudna's story highlights a number of female scientists.
The audiobook was well done with a female narrator, chosen probably because the majority of the story centered around female scientists. At times the author inserted his own experiences into the story using the first person. Since I knew that the author was male, this led to a bit of disconnect. because the a
The audiobook was well done with a female narrator, chosen probably because the majority of the story centered around female scientists. At times the author inserted his own experiences into the story using the first person. Since I knew that the author was male, this led to a bit of disconnect. because the a
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Jennifer Doudna is not a person I had heard about. It was interesting to read about her pioneering work with CRISPR gene editing, seen as one of the most significant breakthroughs in the last decade. Also covered is some of the research that her work built upon.
The ethics and disadvantages of genetic engineering vs the benefits is an interesting debate. All technology can be used for good and bad and there can be unintended consequences.
With the Covid-19 pandemic, the significance of CRISPR became vital to develop Covid tests and the Covid vaccine.
There was a heavy emphasis on the science, which was beyond me and for me this contributed to the book feel a bit long-winded. It was more akin to a biography of CRISPR technology than Jennifer.
The ethics and disadvantages of genetic engineering vs the benefits is an interesting debate. All technology can be used for good and bad and there can be unintended consequences.
With the Covid-19 pandemic, the significance of CRISPR became vital to develop Covid tests and the Covid vaccine.
There was a heavy emphasis on the science, which was beyond me and for me this contributed to the book feel a bit long-winded. It was more akin to a biography of CRISPR technology than Jennifer.
OK, this is a compelling story, but the book is flawed in multiple ways.
The narrative is so pedestrian that what should be a thrill ride is rendered a snoozer. The author also entangles himself in the narrative and gets really sloppy toward the end, perhaps trying to meet a deadline.
The book does explain the science in a way that can be understood by non-scientists, or at least, but this nonscientist. The best thing about it for me, other than learning Doudna's story, is that it contradicts with documentation the notion that COVID vaccines were developed "too fast" given the slog that it took to develop previous vaccines.
Recommended for people who are interested in the scientific process.
The narrative is so pedestrian that what should be a thrill ride is rendered a snoozer. The author also entangles himself in the narrative and gets really sloppy toward the end, perhaps trying to meet a deadline.
The book does explain the science in a way that can be understood by non-scientists, or at least, but this nonscientist. The best thing about it for me, other than learning Doudna's story, is that it contradicts with documentation the notion that COVID vaccines were developed "too fast" given the slog that it took to develop previous vaccines.
Recommended for people who are interested in the scientific process.
A fascinating book by Isaacson. The biography of Doudna progresses from a singular focus on her life and scientific study to the more significant questions of life and the potential use of genetic modifications to our existence. The moral and ethical issues surrounding genetic selection vs. natural selection were thought-provoking. I highly recommend this book.