50 Years of DNA

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful Collection of Articles and Photographs
Review: This is a beautifully crafted book composed of a series of articles (chapters) each about a slightly different subject on the discovery of the DNA molecule, Watson and Crick, genetics, and the genome. The book is really a tribute book written to celibrate the discovery and as such is not the best for learning.

It covers the historical breakthrough, the personalities, and a number of ongoing scientific investigations and subsequent discoveries. I really like the book, I like the photos, but am giving it 4 stars because it is short. Otherwise great book.

It is broken into two parts. The first 80 pages are all written by Julie Clayton in a well organised fashion on DNA to give an over picture of the development of our knowledge with photos and drawings mostly in color broken into ten chapters. The second 50 or so pages is a short series of historic articles and articles written as summaries by experts with each supplying a reference list.

It is the type of book you buy if you are interested in accumulating a small library on the subject or perhaps as a gift, but not your first or only book. I put together a Listmania list of about 20 starter books and I put it on the Listmania Genetics list but not my first choice. Still it is among the top three or four introductory books because of the authors and the excellent graphics.