The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code - Softcover

Kean, Sam

4.01

10,170 ratings by Goodreads

9780316212670: The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0316212679 ISBN 13: 9780316212670

Publisher: Hachette Book Group USA, 2012

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Paperback. Pub Date :2012-07-17 Pages: 416 Language: English Publisher: Little Brown and Company The story of human DNA has a valid claim to being the greatest story ever told. It goes back across the aeons to the primordial soup where life first began and takes us through every stage of evolution to the present. as well as posing urgent questions about humanitys future. Indeed in many ways. it can be said that mankinds biggest triumph is to have survived long enough to be able to tell this story at all. Standing on the shoulders of giants. Sam Kean tells this story with brilliance and humour. By telling the very personal stories of the people who have helped solve the mysteries of DNA stage by stage. he leads us through the complexities of such vast subjects as genetic theory. the mechanics of natural selection and the origins of life itself. Along the highly entertaining w...

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Review:

"The Violinist's Thumb delivers the same humor and insight--and delightful anecdotes--about DNA that Kean used to make the periodic table of the elements entertaining in his "New York Times" bestselling debut The Disappearing Spoon." -- Brooklyn Daily Eagle

"As he did in his debut bestseller, "The Disappearing Spoon," Sam Kean educates readers about a facet of science with wonderfully witty prose and enthralling anecdotes....Kean's thoughtful, humorous book is a joy to read." -- Publishers Weekly

"As he did in his debut bestseller, The Disappearing Spoon, Sam Kean educates readers about a facet of science with wonderfully witty prose and enthralling anecdotes....Kean's thoughtful, humorous book is a joy to read." -- Publishers Weekly

"A science journalist with a flair for words...[Kean's] language is fluid and accessible, even for the science-challenged." -- Barbara Hoffert, Library Journal

"Kean is one of America's smartest and most charming science writers, and his new book could be perfect for summer readers who prefer some substance with their fun." -- Michael Schaub, National Public Radio

"The DNA molecule, Kean asserts, is the 'grand narrative of human existence'-and he boldly sets out to tell the tale, not only explaining genetics and its scientific history but linking Mendel's pea shoots to the evolution of early humans....He's crafted a lively read packed with unforgettable details." -- Sarah Zhang, Discover

"Sam Kean is the best science teacher you never had... a slew of intriguing tales, which Kean spins in light, witty prose while also placing them in a broader scientific context." -- Keith Staskiewicz, Entertainment Weekly

"Sam Kean has started to make a habit of taking scientific subjects that inhabit the outskirts of the popular imagination and reintroducing them with healthy doses of history and humanity....Anyone reading this fine book could be excused for jolting upright...with wide-eyed amazement." -- Jesse Singal, Boston Globe

"[Kean] writes with a humor and humanity that make him poised to become the next Brian Greene, maybe, or Oliver Sacks-explaining small corners of the universe one case study at a time." -- Monica Hesse, Washington Post

"The Violinist's Thumb delivers the same humor and insight--and delightful anecdotes--about DNA that Kean used to make the periodic table of the elements entertaining in his New York Times bestselling debut The Disappearing Spoon." -- Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Book Description:

The epic true story of human DNA and what it can tell us about our world

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