Features
- Cover Type: Paperback with 270 pages
- Published by: Cambridge University Press March 28, 1998
- Written in: English
- ISBN 10 Number: 0521625092
- ISBN 13 Number: 978-0521625098
-
Book Dimensions:
8.4 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
- Weighs: 11.4 ounces
Reader Reviews
I found myself enjoying this book after punching through the initial chapters that served as the science primer for defining DNA. The author gets credit for laying out the biological concepts that the reader will need to know to understand the material that comes later (e.g., genetic engineering). Assuming you have no prior background, you'll need to learn these concepts before you can follow the various applications of genetic engineering she goes into. The writing style is lean, but doesn't gloss over the complexity of the subject. The book shines in its treatment of genetic engineering and biotechnology. And unlike a number of more recent books doesn't get fixated on the human genome project or sequencing in general. Actually, even with the book being several years old, I found many of the topics covered to be of interest even to date. Examples include a discussion of the "selfish gene" (proposed by Richard Dawkins), the theory of endosymbiosis pioneered by Lynn Margulis, the "ice-minus" bacteria used to keep strawberries from frost damage, and the genetically engineered "flavor-saver" tomato. The applications of genetic engineering described in the book are definitely relevant and important (e.g., cloning, drug discovery, plant science, and environmental cleanup). And to the author's credit, she doesn't appear to take too strong a position on either side of the biotechnology ethic's debate.
Comment | |
(Report this)
Search for books at
