GENOME: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters by Matt Ridley

GENOME: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters
Matt Ridley

By picking one newly discovered gene from each of the twenty-three human chromosomes and telling its story, Matt Ridley recounts the history of our species and its ancestors from the dawn of life to the brink of future medicine. He finds genes that we share with bacteria, genes that distinguish us from chimpanzees, genes that can condemn us to cruel diseases, genes that may influence our intelligence, genes that enable us to use grammatical language, genes that guide the development of our bodies and our brains, genes that allow us to remember, genes that exhibit the strange alchemy of nature and nurture, genes that parasitise us for their own selfish ends, genes that battle with one another and genes that record the history of human migrations. From Huntington's disease to cancer, he explores the applications of genetics: the search for understanding and therapy, the horrors of eugenics and the philosophical implications for understanding the paradox of free will. (image and summary from barnesandnoble.com)

Don't make fun of me! Yes, I read science books for fun--quite often, actually. I find myself caught up in the trap of reading about something real, research that's going on right now. And for anyone else in that same boat as me, I'd definitely recommend this book.

The entire premise of the story, to select one gene from each chromosome to discuss, is very interesting in itself. But Matt Ridley took those genes and used them to weave a story not just about what that gene does, but about an entire concept of existence. He discusses eugenics, and whether or not people should find out if they have life-threatening diseases, and dozens of other topics that truly captivated me. Heavy material.

This is a great book for anyone just venturing into the genre of science nonfiction or for those who have been reading nonfiction for years. It's simple enough for anyone to understand yet complex enough that it is fascinating material. GENOME was an excellent book.

Grade: B+