The Human Genome: A User's Guide

Rating:
Summary: Awesome!
Review: I am a Genetics student at the University of Kansas with the intent of beginning medical school in August. I strongly feel this text has helped me to be better prepared on this topic. I enjoyed the style in which this book was written since you can almost hear the authors speak directly to you as you're reading. I especially admire and appreciate the authors' human sides come across in the examples that are given. Too bad my other science textbooks aren't as interesting!

Rating:
Summary: A great book for a genetics course
Review: I enjoyed reading Dr. Hawley's book. I found it very interesting and useful in the study of genetics. A few of the chapters were very advanced and difficult to read and there were a few points that he could have elaborated on, but over all the book covered most of the important topics that are pertinant to a broad study of genetics.

Rating:
Summary: Individual aspects of disorders covered
Review: I had this text for a MCB 10 (genetics) course at UC Davis in California. I found the science part of it interesting and for the most part helpful. I think the authors really tried to keep the reader's interest, and make a subject that is not always thought of as fascinating a little more light and relevant. People may disagree about including anecdotes in a textbook, but I think the anecdotes, while they may have been out of place, made the book more readable for me. Also, I really admired the way the authors focused on the individual aspects of the disorders they mentioned. As a young woman with Turners Syndrome, I can say that it was very refreshing that for once we were not portrayed as genetic mutants, and that individual differences that occur in any disorder was pointed out. I think it's sad, looking down the reviews, that only the bad reviews were seen as helpful. I would hope that people will give this book a chance.

Rating:
Summary: Better than before!
Review: I personally think that the first edition was unfairly reviewed-A couple of the ridiculously negative reviewers who bashed the book (without providing much explanation or insight) were probably written by former students whom the authors flunked, since the attacks appear personal. Of course, the first edition wasn't perfect, although it was pretty darn good! I recently had a chance to peek at the new, 2nd edition, and was thrilled to see so many improvements. The language is much clearer and easier to follow since the authors use a nice conversational tone and less-technical language. The color art is really impressive and ADDS to the new edition. The book is at least twice as long and packed with current, up-to-date information such as human cloning, the human genome project and genetic diseases. I definitely recommend buying this book!

Rating:
Summary: Individual aspects of disorders covered
Review: I think this book is pure poppycock! I also think it is ridiculous that my personage is under question when I give an honest review of this so-called textbook. I cannot believe that someone would pay $ for this drivel. I learned more from watching The Learning Channel on your Yank cable TV. R. Scott Hawley's vision of the future of genetic engineering can be found in any number of horror movies from the 1950s. The anecdotal blather was mundane and out of place considering this is supposed to be an undergraduate level textbook. Again, if I could give this book less than 1 star, I would. Also, a duckbilled platypus is still NOT A MARSUPIAL!

Rating:
Summary: Human Genome, Fool's Gold
Review: Once in a while there is a flood of books on a vogue subject. And like a river flood, you can find some golden nuggets but most of them are worthless pyrite. This book tries to buy into the new and exciting field of Human Genomics, but unfortunately it fails miserably. I didnt get excited reading this book. The effort put forth by many people to advance the field is not well presented and is lost in personal anecdotes of the author. The vision of the future is no better than one can get from a cheap B-movie. It is written like a textbook and is read as a textbook. Keep looking prospector, this book will not enrich your life.

Rating:
Summary: A Fantastic Reference!
Review: Science touches the lives of more people today than ever before, and The Human Genome: A User's Guide serves as a simplified but complete compendium of human genetics to be used by scientists and nonscientists alike. Subjects are explained clearly and conversationally but without the loss of the all-important details and facts, making this book a highly interesting read.

Rating:
Summary: Longing for a better book....
Review: This book left me feeling empty inside. I would of loved to delve into the subject matter, but ended up feeling lost and alone. Yah, sure I can tell you that there is a gene called TDF that is important in determining male sexual development, but the book doesn't go very far into the cellular and biochemical mechanisms that I was so desperately desiring from this book. Monotreme, Monotreme, where for art thou, Monotreme?

Rating:
Summary: Timely and Thorough revision
Review: This SECOND EDITION is a major improvement on the first (which was already pretty good). It's an excellent text on modern Human Genetics. Not too overwhelming for non-experts, in fact perfect for the absolute novice, but enough science to really get the gist of the issues. It goes a long way to explaining some difficult concepts that I haven't seen treated correctly elsewhere.