THE LANGUAGE OF THE GENES [Revised edition] - Softcover

Jones, Steve

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0006552439 ISBN 13: 9780006552437

Publisher: Flamingo, 2000

Synopsis

Steve Jones's highly acclaimed, double prize-winning, bestselling first book is now fully revised to cover all the new genetic breakthroughs from Gm food to Dolly the sheep.'An essential sightseer's guide to our own genetic terrain.' Peter Tallack, Sunday Telegraph 'Superb and stimulating. . .an exhilarating trip around the double spiral of Dna, a rush of gravity-defying concepts and wild swerves of the scientific imagination.' J.G. Ballard, Daily Telegraph 'Not so much divination as demystification. . .An attempt to bring genetics and evolution more into the public domain. If, for instance, you ever wondered just what genetic engineering is about, here is as good a place as any to discover. Few have Jones's ability to communicate a difficult idea with such humour, clarity, precision and ease.' Laurence Hurst, Times Higher; 'Sensitive to the social issues raised by genetics. . .yet Jones's interest reaches beyond contemporary social issues to the human past, to what genetics can and cannot tell us about our evolution and patterns of social development. He interleaves a broad knowledge of biology with considerations of cultural, demographic and - as his title indicates - linguistic history. At once instructive and captivating.' Daniel J.Kevles, London Review of Books

About this title

About the Author

Professor Steve Jones was born in Wales, educated in Scotland and lives in London. He is Professor of Genetics at the Galton Laboratory at University College London.

His first book, ‘The Language of the Genes’ (1993), won the Rhône-Poulenc Prize for the Best Science Book of the Year. It was based on the Reith Lectures he gave in 1991. He is Co-Editor of the ‘Cambridge Encyclopaedia of Human Evolution’ and joint author of The Open University final year genetics textbook.

From the Back Cover

A fully revised edition of the classic work on modern genetics, updated to coincide with the complete sequence of human DNA, cloning and genetically manipulated foods.

'Not so much divination or demystification…An attempt to bring genetics and evolution into the public domain. If, for instance, you ever wondered just what genetic engineering is about, here is as good a place as any to discover. Few have Jones's ability to communicate a difficult idea with such humour, clarity, precision and ease.'
LAURENCE HURST, 'Times Higher'

'Jones is sensitive to the social issues raised by genetics…yet his interest reaches beyond contemporary social issues to the human past, to what genetics can and cannot tell us about our evolution and patterns of social development. He interleaves a broad knowledge of biology with considerations of cultural, demographic and – as his title indicates – linguistic history. Jones's book is at once instructive and captivating.'
DANIEL J.KEVLES, 'London Review of Books'

'Trenchant, witty and enlightening…Jones's literate and wide-ranging book is an essential sightseer's guide to our own genetic terrain.'
PETER TALLACK, 'Sunday Telegraph'

This brilliant and witty book…is highly literate, and Jones goes a long way to bridging the deepening chasm between the two cultures. Not to know how genes affect us is to ignore the central factor in our lives.'
LEWIS WOLPERT, 'Daily Mail'

'Smoothly written and easily read…An absorbing and fascinating romp around the world of genetics.'
JOHN GRIBBIN, 'Sunday Times'

Edition details

• Publisher: Flamingo
• Publication date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0006552439
• ISBN 13: 9780006552437
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 358