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alidottie's review against another edition
3.0
Some fun stories and interesting information mingled in with tons of genetics language where I skimmed forward. It is interesting to learn what science is finding about the human body. I like to mix it with my own thoughts and beliefs. So when things go back--even info in our DNA, I think about that backing the concept that what we were made from (by God) were materials that have existed longer than ourselves. Anyway, this book was a little too long and not quite reader friendly enough for me to recommend.
spamrisk's review against another edition
4.0
Took biology.
But would've liked this book more
If I just studied.
But would've liked this book more
If I just studied.
deltajuliet83's review against another edition
4.0
I like Sam Kean’s books, it feels like being taught through stories instead of just facts… he makes it much kore interesting, to the point that I end up spouting facts to my husband later!
geekwayne's review against another edition
4.0
A highly interesting and very accessible look at the world of DNA and genes, this book begins with how early science discovered what we know about it today. Controversies such as cloning and dna splicing are discussed along the way.
The title refers to Niccolo Paganini, a virtuoso violinist who could splay his fingers in unnatural directions. This was the result of a genetic disorder, and not a pact with the devil (as was believed during his life). This is just one of the many people you will meet along the way. There is the man who survived dual nuclear bombs in Japan, and what happens to ravaged DNA is discussed. There are scientists who study fruit flies and want to breed "monkey men" a clone sheep. There is the race to decode the human genome. And all throughout is the wonder of our DNA.
Highly recommended for casual science readers, and anyone who wants a good overview of the science behind genetics. Included is a fine selected bibliography for those who want to explore further.
The title refers to Niccolo Paganini, a virtuoso violinist who could splay his fingers in unnatural directions. This was the result of a genetic disorder, and not a pact with the devil (as was believed during his life). This is just one of the many people you will meet along the way. There is the man who survived dual nuclear bombs in Japan, and what happens to ravaged DNA is discussed. There are scientists who study fruit flies and want to breed "monkey men" a clone sheep. There is the race to decode the human genome. And all throughout is the wonder of our DNA.
Highly recommended for casual science readers, and anyone who wants a good overview of the science behind genetics. Included is a fine selected bibliography for those who want to explore further.
heather_19's review against another edition
4.0
4 1/2 still a good book but a bit more creepy with the implications than the last one I read by this author.
misspudding's review against another edition
5.0
My favorite kind of book. Packed with facts about the history of DNA, but told as a series of connected stories about the people behind the discoveries. Kean is a great storyteller!
patchworkbunny's review against another edition
5.0
DNA. It’s in all of us but did you know it tells a story? Both of the human race and its own story of discovery. The Violinist’s Thumb is not only an introduction to the science of DNA but a trip through history from Mendel to the Human Genome Project and Neanderthals to crazy cat people.
My knowledge of DNA comes from high school biology, Jurassic Park and numerous crime shows and books, so I’m by no means in a position to understand high-brow scientific tomes. Instead, Sam Kean manages to entertain and educate. The conversational tone dips into more technical territory now and then but just as you think it’s about to go over your head, it returns to an amusing anecdote. I fell I have a better understanding of how DNA works and how it’s shaped us as humans.
I learned so many fascinating facts. That there could be a biological reason that otherwise sane people turn into crazy cat hoarders; toxoplasma gondii (a parasite caught from cats) will release dopamine into the brain when the infected individual smells cat pee. So cats make them happy. The case study here, were a couple that held the world record for most cats in one home; 689! I could go on all day about the things I picked up but I need to leave some for you to discover yourself.
What is often left out of scientific history, are the people behind the discoveries. We may know all about Mendel’s peas but not that his research was destroyed because of his politics and not his science (I’m pretty sure his fellow monks were appreciative of his pea improvement). It’s also quite common for geneticists to try and explain historical figures through their genes, what does Einstein’s brain say about his genius? And there was a wonderful section about Toulouse-Lautrec, whilst his family’s inbreeding was tragic, his disadvantages probably led to his art. Just as a genetic condition blessed and blighted the title’s inspiration, virtuoso violinist, Niccolò Paganini.
My only grumble was a couple of errors that should have been picked up by an editor. We cannot possibly be 8% not human and only 2% human; that just doesn’t add up. I know that the author meant 8% virus DNA and 2% unique to human DNA, but it wasn’t worded that way and for a scientist, maths should be important. There was another similar thing, where he stated “virtually all animals” and then excluded all mammals in the same sentence. Virtually all would imply mammals to most of us, would it not? There may have been other slip-ups but these were surrounded in paragraphs that included things I wanted to quote and realised they didn’t make sense when I looked more closely. The fact that I still think this a five star read, shows you how much I got out of it.
My knowledge of DNA comes from high school biology, Jurassic Park and numerous crime shows and books, so I’m by no means in a position to understand high-brow scientific tomes. Instead, Sam Kean manages to entertain and educate. The conversational tone dips into more technical territory now and then but just as you think it’s about to go over your head, it returns to an amusing anecdote. I fell I have a better understanding of how DNA works and how it’s shaped us as humans.
I learned so many fascinating facts. That there could be a biological reason that otherwise sane people turn into crazy cat hoarders; toxoplasma gondii (a parasite caught from cats) will release dopamine into the brain when the infected individual smells cat pee. So cats make them happy. The case study here, were a couple that held the world record for most cats in one home; 689! I could go on all day about the things I picked up but I need to leave some for you to discover yourself.
What is often left out of scientific history, are the people behind the discoveries. We may know all about Mendel’s peas but not that his research was destroyed because of his politics and not his science (I’m pretty sure his fellow monks were appreciative of his pea improvement). It’s also quite common for geneticists to try and explain historical figures through their genes, what does Einstein’s brain say about his genius? And there was a wonderful section about Toulouse-Lautrec, whilst his family’s inbreeding was tragic, his disadvantages probably led to his art. Just as a genetic condition blessed and blighted the title’s inspiration, virtuoso violinist, Niccolò Paganini.
My only grumble was a couple of errors that should have been picked up by an editor. We cannot possibly be 8% not human and only 2% human; that just doesn’t add up. I know that the author meant 8% virus DNA and 2% unique to human DNA, but it wasn’t worded that way and for a scientist, maths should be important. There was another similar thing, where he stated “virtually all animals” and then excluded all mammals in the same sentence. Virtually all would imply mammals to most of us, would it not? There may have been other slip-ups but these were surrounded in paragraphs that included things I wanted to quote and realised they didn’t make sense when I looked more closely. The fact that I still think this a five star read, shows you how much I got out of it.
lessard8424's review against another edition
5.0
Really enjoyable read. Amusing yet serious look at the scientific history of DNA.
bunrab's review against another edition
5.0
No really new stuff here, but a nice run through what DNA and RNA do, and how the system of using DNA to build genes and genes to build chromosomes developed throughout evolution. Good sense of humor lightens up the heavy stuff, and the biographies of some of the odder builogists and medical researchers of the late 1800s and early 1900s are a hoot.
nightchough's review against another edition
4.0
Great book about genetics and DNA, filled with anecdotes and biographical sketches of key scientists. A couple of unforgettable stories from Japan. I liked this even more than The Disappearing Spoon, perhaps because there were more natural links between chapters ... a real sense of the progress of science over the last 150 years.