Mention Books In Pursuance Of The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code
| Original Title: | The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code |
| ISBN: | 0316202975 (ISBN13: 9780316202978) |
| Edition Language: | English |
| Literary Awards: | Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Nonfiction (2012) |

Sam Kean
ebook | Pages: 281 pages Rating: 3.99 | 8290 Users | 957 Reviews
Present Epithetical Books The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code
| Title | : | The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code |
| Author | : | Sam Kean |
| Book Format | : | ebook |
| Book Edition | : | First Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 281 pages |
| Published | : | July 17th 2012 by Little, Brown and Company |
| Categories | : | Science. Nonfiction. History. Biology. Genetics. Evolution. Popular Science |
Narrative To Books The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code
In The Disappearing Spoon, bestselling author Sam Kean unlocks the mysteries of the periodic table. In The Violinist's Thumb, he explores the wonders of the magical building block of life: DNA.There are genes to explain crazy cat ladies, why other people have no fingerprints, and why some people survive nuclear bombs. Genes illuminate everything from JFK's bronze skin (it wasn't a tan) to Einstein's genius. They prove that Neanderthals and humans bred thousands of years more recently than any of us would feel comfortable thinking. They can even allow some people, because of the exceptional flexibility of their thumbs and fingers, to become truly singular violinists. Kean's vibrant storytelling makes science entertaining, explaining human history and whimsy while showing how DNA will influence our species' future.
Rating Epithetical Books The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code
Ratings: 3.99 From 8290 Users | 957 ReviewsWrite Up Epithetical Books The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code
I'm going to be honest and tell you the entire reason I picked up The Violinist's Thumb by Sam Kean is not because I'm interested in biology or DNA or anything to do with science really - it's because the name Paganini drew me in.I've never been the type of girl to understand science. The closest I came was a low C in Biology 14 years ago when I attended the University of Wyoming. Ever since then I've operated under the assumption that magic sparkles course through my veins, that storks bringVery scientific; the majority of the book is a primer in what DNA is, how it works, and the scientists who have played a part in its history. There are interesting narratives involving DNA, for example why crazy cat hoarders are the way they are, but I felt I had to work for them, I.e. The equivalent of taking a college exam in genetics. (Which, by the way, I did, and made an A in!)Recommended only for those very interested in science and not just the beach reading type!
Reading Sam Kean is like eating popcorn. Tastes great, somewhat filling, and mildly nutritious, but somehow it leaves you feeling a bit empty. Ive now read two of Keans books The Disappearing Spoon and The Violinists Thumb, and I greatly enjoyed both. He covers lots of ground and makes it interesting and entertaining. In this book, he covers the history of DNA and genetics from the early 1800s until today and hits all the major and even the minor players Lamarck, Cuvier, Darwin, Mendel,

DNA. Its in all of us but did you know it tells a story? Both of the human race and its own story of discovery. The Violinists Thumb is not only an introduction to the science of DNA but a trip through history from Mendel to the Human Genome Project and Neanderthals to crazy cat people.My knowledge of DNA comes from high school biology, Jurassic Park and numerous crime shows and books, so Im by no means in a position to understand high-brow scientific tomes. Instead, Sam Kean manages to
This got off to a bad start for me, when on page 33 Kean equated Darwinian natural selection and "survival of the fittest." (Herbert Spencer and/or "social Darwinism" were never mentioned.) Then, in an incendiary chapter on cats and toxoplasmosis ("toxo") he never explains that a cat who has lived indoors all its life cannot carry/transmit the disease. Then .... what else? The tone was too cutesy and much of the material was too simplistic - glossing over opposing viewpoints, or assuming the
Pretty much all of us know that DNA is what makes us, well, us. But few of us non-scientists really understand what that means. Through a bit of hard science, a little history, just a touch of humour, and some fascinating anecdotes, author San Kean sets out to rectify this in his marvelous book, The Violinist's Thumb. Kean explains in simple and rather poetic terms, for example, the difference between DNA and genes. "DNA", he tells us, "is a thing - a chemical which sticks to your fingers" while
I enjoyed this book, and I learned a number of things, but I also felt a little disappointed by it. It was a fairly easy read, not requiring much science knowledge, and it was well written, with humor and a relaxed story-telling vibe. But I felt that it lacked a cohesive purpose. The author told a lot of stories about what genes can do and have done, and they were all interesting and enjoyable to read. But at the end of the book, I still felt that I didn't understand a lot about how genes work


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