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alex_ellermann 's review for:
The Gene: An Intimate History
by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Though I have no particular interest in genetics, I read this book for two reasons: I wanted to learn about CRISPR technology and the book made a number of "year's best" lists.
Does this book deliver on its promise? Yes. It is a history of genetic research (as well as its dark counterpart, eugenics) that begins in the Middle Ages and carries all the way through to the present day. Is it well-written? Sure. Mukherjee has sufficient grasp of his subject matter to make it comprehensible to the layman - no easy feat!
Why two stars, then? This is more an indication of my personal response to the book than the quality of the book itself. I'm interested in genetics the same way I'm interested in many subjects: as part of my ambition to gain a general knowledge of the world. However, I'm not fascinated by biology. I suspect that my relatives in the health sciences would devour this book. Personally, it was the literary equivalent of eating my vegetables: something I endured because it was good for me.
Does this book deliver on its promise? Yes. It is a history of genetic research (as well as its dark counterpart, eugenics) that begins in the Middle Ages and carries all the way through to the present day. Is it well-written? Sure. Mukherjee has sufficient grasp of his subject matter to make it comprehensible to the layman - no easy feat!
Why two stars, then? This is more an indication of my personal response to the book than the quality of the book itself. I'm interested in genetics the same way I'm interested in many subjects: as part of my ambition to gain a general knowledge of the world. However, I'm not fascinated by biology. I suspect that my relatives in the health sciences would devour this book. Personally, it was the literary equivalent of eating my vegetables: something I endured because it was good for me.