The Gene: An Intimate History ()
By Siddhartha Mukherjee
The #1 NEW YORK TIMES Bestseller The basis for the PBS Ken Burns Documentary The Gene: An Intimate History From the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Emperor of All Maladies—a fascinating history of the gene and “a magisterial account of how human minds have laboriously, ingeniously picked apart what makes us tick” (Elle). “Sid Mukherjee has the uncanny ability to bring together science, history, and the future in a way that is understandable and riveting, guiding us through both time and the mystery of life itself.” —Ken Burns“Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee dazzled readers with his Pulitzer Prize-winning The Emperor of All Maladies in 2010. That achievement was evidently just a warm-up for his virtuoso performance in The Gene: An Intimate History, in which he braids science, history, and memoir into an epic with all the range and biblical thunder of Paradise Lost” (The New York Times). In this biography Mukherjee brings to life the quest to understand human heredity and its surprising influence on our lives, personalities, identities, fates, and choices. “Mukherjee expresses abstract intellectual ideas through emotional stories…[and] swaddles his medical rigor with rhapsodic tenderness, surprising vulnerability, and occasional flashes of pure poetry” (The Washington Post). Throughout, the story of Mukherjee’s own family—with its tragic and bewildering history of mental illness—reminds us of the questions that hang over our ability to translate the science of genetics from the laboratory to the real world. In riveting and dramatic prose, he describes the centuries of research and experimentation—from Aristotle and Pythagoras to Mendel and Darwin, from Boveri and Morgan to Crick, Watson and Franklin, all the way through the revolutionary twenty-first century innovators who mapped the human genome. “A fascinating and often sobering history of how humans came to understand the roles of genes in making us who we are—and what our manipulation of those genes might mean for our future” (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel), The Gene is the revelatory and magisterial history of a scientific idea coming to life, the most crucial science of our time, intimately explained by a master. “The Gene is a book we all should read” (USA TODAY).
The Gene: An Intimate History
By Siddhartha Mukherjee
The Gene: An Intimate History is a captivating and profound exploration of the history, impact, and implications of genes in shaping our lives. Written by Siddhartha Mukherjee, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Emperor of All Maladies, this #1 New York Times bestseller takes readers on a journey through the fascinating world of genetics. With its rich blend of science, history, and personal narrative, The Gene offers a deep understanding of the scientific breakthroughs that have revolutionized our understanding of human heredity.
The book serves as the basis for the PBS Ken Burns documentary of the same name and has been widely acclaimed for its masterful storytelling. Elle describes it as “a magisterial account of how human minds have laboriously, ingeniously picked apart what makes us tick.” Ken Burns himself praises Mukherjee’s ability to bring together science, history, and the future in an understandable and riveting way.
Throughout The Gene, Mukherjee weaves together stories of scientific discovery with personal anecdotes, including his own family’s history of mental illness. This combination of abstract ideas and emotional narratives allows readers to connect with the subject matter on a deeply human level. The Washington Post describes Mukherjee’s writing as “medical rigor with rhapsodic tenderness, surprising vulnerability, and occasional flashes of pure poetry.”
The Gene takes readers on a journey through centuries of research and experimentation, from the early theories of Aristotle and Pythagoras to the groundbreaking discoveries of Mendel, Darwin, Crick, Watson, and Franklin. Mukherjee delves into the lives and work of these influential figures, highlighting their contributions to our understanding of genetics and the role genes play in shaping who we are.
The book also explores the ethical and moral implications of genetic manipulation, raising important questions about the future of genetic research and its potential impact on society. Through thought-provoking prose, Mukherjee paints a comprehensive picture of the past, present, and future of genetic science.
Product Details
- Publisher: Scribner; Reprint edition (May 2, 2017)
- Language: English
- Format: eBook
- Pages: 608
- ISBN-10: 147673352X
- ISBN-13: 978-1476733524
The Gene is a thought-provoking and enlightening read that will appeal to anyone interested in the mysteries of human genetics. It offers a comprehensive overview of the scientific discoveries that have shaped our understanding of genes, while also exploring the personal and societal implications of this knowledge.
Whether you’re a science enthusiast or simply curious about the human genome, The Gene is a must-read. Order your copy today and embark on a journey through the fascinating world of genetics.
Product Details
- Publisher : Scribner; Reprint edition (May 2, 2017)
- Language : English
- : 608 pages
- ISBN-10 : 147673352X
- ISBN-13 : 978-1476733524