Rating: 
Summary: Great intro for the layperson
Review: If you're interested in human behaviour, heredity, or just want a quick update on the state of genetic science, read this book.It's a great survey of the human genome with some fascinating anecdotes and examples expertly mixed in. The primer in the prologue is a beautifully written and amazingly clear explanation of how it all works (at least to our current understanding.) Critics complain that Ridley lets his politics show through, and that he doesn't give enough technical details. Both remarks might be true if what you're looking for is a neutered technical manual. In short, one of the better books I've read on the subject. If you like this one, read Red Queen - also by Ridley. It takes an interesting look at sexual (as opposed to natural) selection.
Rating:
Summary: A great book!
Review: For the lay-person an excellent overview of the science,history and progress in this field. It also results in the reader gaining an understanding of the subject. The writer has a very easy style which make for especially interesting reading. I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Intriguing stuff!
Review: This is a very exciting account of the science leading to the human genome. The stories are colorfully relayed and relavence to disease is also made throughout. Of particular interest is the discussion of the Alzheimer disease gene on the chromosome numbered 19 as this disease runs in my family. The other genes leading to Alzheimer's are not discussed but were nicely described in a another great book that I read recently called "Decoding Darkness" (in fact Mr. Ridley also has a nice commentary on the back of this book). I should also say that "Genome"has also inspired me to read other books out there on the genome and especially disease causing genes. Highly reommended! Also recommended: "Decoding Darkness" by Tanzi and Parson
Rating:
Summary: My Review For Biology
Review: FOR PROFESSOR STIENER Alex Levine April 3, 2001 My Review of the Novel Genome As a species, humans are the most complex that the world has ever encountered. The human brain is so intricate, and refined that we have barely reached the forefront of understanding it. The novel Genome, a spectacular autobiography by "Matt Ridley," is unlike almost any other novel. It attempts to explain the human genetic code, in all it's complexity's and splendor. It categorizes them in a sort of elementary manner, as after each chromosome told a story. Another interesting fact is that twenty-two chapters are discussed in this book, each one speaking about a particular chromosome and it's function. However the author states "I may seem to imply that chromosome two is exclusively concerned with personality, but it is not," and he cannot really explain why. This leads me to believe that there may be less or more truth then one would think in this book. The chapters in the book are intriguing to say the least. Each chapter, attempts to explain the reasoning behind the actions of a certain chromosome. My favorite is chapter fourteen, "Immortality." This is something that people have been searching for since the dawn of time. According to Mr. Ridley, "It takes fewer than fifty cell doublings to make a body from a fertilized egg and only a few hundred more to keep the skin in good repair," there fore he believes that the reason that we age is because of something known as teleomere. Which is the process by which our cells duplicate. The problem with it is every time a chromosome is duplicated using this process; a teeny tiny piece from the beginning and end of it is lost. In other words a 1ft long chromosome that loses a sixteenth of an inch on both ends every time it is duplicated will only be ten inches long after 8 years if it duplicates twice a year. Another interesting part in this book is the section involving free will. In the culminating chapter of the book, titled "Free Will" the author starts out with a practical joke. He writes two pages 301-302 and then says, "The preceding paragraph is fictional. There is no HFW gene on chromosome 22 nor on any other." I perceived this to be not only tasteless, but a distraction from what had been a riveting first twenty-one chapters. The other fascinating thing about this chapter though is that chromosome 22 is the only chromosome ever to be completely deciphered. Apparently science has discovered that there is no gene to create free will, otherwise things would always be genetically predetermined, "Where did free will come from? It plainly could not have come from my genes, or else it would not be free will. The answer, according to many, is that it came from society, culture and nature." Evidently it is the world telling us we can do what we want, that gives us the gift of free will. However humans are very resistant to brain washing. For example people advertise the effects of smoking to teenagers all the time, but they still persist on taking it up. The best way I think to explain the correlation of freewill and genetics with this quote, "The greater mistake is not to equate determinism with genes, but to mistake determinism for inevitability." Over all though the book was quite enjoyable, and very well written. It was the unique styling of the book that the author used that really caught my attention though. In addition to the books intriguing topic, the human genetic code. Hope fully there will be a sequel to this novel, that will be able to go more into depth then it's predecessor did.
Rating: 
Summary: An pleasant appetizer
Review: Informative and often engaging. As the author suggests (dozens of times) this book was already outdated when released. I liked the chapters on heriditary disease and sexuality which would hold up as human interest stories and are a part of the popular debate that genetics has sparked. When the author laments about the inexact nature of science and then proceeds to offer widely available expert speculation, I am less interested. A book of personal narratives from scientists and civilians alike who have been dramatically impacted by the decoding of the genome is sorely needed.
Rating:
Summary: An original approach that works
Review: While I already know a bit about the human genome project, this book delivered the flavor of the genome sciences in a easy to digest and original way--giving specific gene examples for each chromosome--very cool! I would highly recommend it. Also very highly recommended: "Cracking the Genome" by Davies "Decoding Darkness: The search for the genetic causes of Alzheimer's disease" by Tanzi and Parson
Rating:
Summary: A great overview that is easy to read and interesting
Review: I found this book to be extremely easy to read and yet it contained enough science to adequately explain the major concepts of the human genome. Of particular interest was the author's use of practical examples to explain his points. I also like some of the historical aspects of the book as well. I think that the organization into 23 chapters corresponding to each of our chromosomes, with an example of a particular gene for each chromosome was effective. This book was a very interesting read and made me want to read more. Overall it was great. The author used many acronyms throughout the book and at times I found myself leafing back through earlier chapters to remember what some of them were. Perhaps a glossary would be helpfull. If you have not yet read this book, I recommend getting a pen and paper and jotting down some of the acronmys for later reference.
Rating: 
Summary: Genomes, 3 Letter words using 4 letters
Review: Imagine writing a book of three letter words on long chains of sugar and phosphate. Matt Ridley takes us on a journey through the 23 chromosomes with the "coded recipes" that we know as genes. We all are the product of our genes interacting with our environment. The book also makes us realize how little the sequencers know about the 30,000 genes (previously thought to be 100,000). They are clueless about what half the 30,000 genes do. Perhaps Matt Ridley will have a sequel explaining what we don't know in 2001.
Rating:
Summary: Very thought provoking
Review: I had to buy this book as a supplement for my Human Genetics course. From the first moment I started reading, I was hooked. The way Ridley takes such complicated information and puts it into easy yet thought provoking terms is just magnificent. I have been unable to put it down and find myself trying to research some of his wonderful ideas even further. I recomend this book to anyone that is interested in what knowing the human genetic code means for us all.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating, well done,
Review: Fascinating stuff, this genetic science, especially now that we have mapped our DNA. This is a very well-written about genetics, in general, and some history surrounding the development of genetics and the human genome project. It is not, however, a history of the human genome project, which I assumed it was (one must be careful when buying a book based only on the title!). I was initially disappointed that it wasn't the story of the project, but I am very pleased at what I have learned from it. Especially intriguing is that the author talks a lot about what genes do and don't do, and how even a gene that is linked with a disease, say Huntington's disease, isn't really something you can call The Huntington's Gene. He's a very good writer. He can be fairly technical at times, but even when he is, he makes sure to also make an analogy, or re-explain in easier to understand terms. This is one of the best science books I have read simply in terms of writing that is lucid, structured, and keeps the reader wanting to read more. One major compelling point to this book is that he does include some history, including the different scientists and who fought with whom, and who continues to fight in the struggle to be the first to discover something new, and also in the struggle scientists have between each other in terms of the philosophical/cultural ramifications of certain genes. Especially interesting is the chapter on intelligence. The author delves into the history of the first, early and completely inappropriate IQ tests developed in the US and Britain, and the horrible fallout from them since they determined that immigrants have low IQ (which is not surprising, later criticizers have said, since the tests were in English, and many immigrants didn't speak English). But certainly the idea of genetic intelligence is a very touchy one, but the author does bring up a number of studies that show that IQ is, in some ways, genetic; that intelligence is not completely cultural/education-based (but is also not completely genetic, either). Of the chapters in the book, I found this one the most interesting, and especially the valid and well-done studies that have looked into the link between genetics and intelligence (and intelligence meaning and including a variety of intelligences - analytic, kinesthetic, language use, etc.), whatever the culture being studied, in whatever country. Fascinating stuff. Some might be turned off by some of the author's intentional visibility of self. I greatly enjoyed that instead of merely reporting the facts, he also comments on them from his own view, and also includes contrary views from contrary scientists. While many diseases are linked to certain genes, the rest of the human behavior, while genetic (at least somewhat) is vaguely and very imperfectly known, so it is helpful for me to hear the author's opinion about what some findings could mean for the future of healthcare, school curricula, racial tensions, etc. I don't always agree with the author, but I am very glad to have his voice in it. And also very glad that his voice is based more on reason, than any particular ideology - I certainly cannot tell whether he is religious or anti-religion, whether he might be Christian, Buddhist, Jewish or anything else, or whether he is liberal or conservative. It's welcome to have his voice, and to have his voice be reasonable and even-handed. I found myself thinking much more about certain points simply because he offered an opinion (and/or offered the opinions of scientists who disagree with each other). A great book overall, and a wonderful introduction into what genetics is and isn't, and how far it has come in the last 5 years. Important reading, and very well-written.
| 
