The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code
From New York Times bestselling author Sam Kean comes more incredible stories of science, history, language, and music, as told by our own DNA. In The Disappearing Spoon, bestselling author Sam Kean unlocked the mysteries of the periodic table. In THE VIOLINIST'S THUMB, he explores the wonders...
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From New York Times bestselling author Sam Kean comes more incredible stories of science, history, language, and music, as told by our own DNA.
In The Disappearing Spoon, bestselling author Sam Kean unlocked 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 once again makes science entertaining, explaining human history and whimsy while showing how DNA will influence our species' future.
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Format: ebook
ISBN:
9780316202978 (0316202975)
Publish date: 2012-07-17
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Edition language: English
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 ...
Sam Kean's The Violinist's Thumb is an exploration of the world of genetics, and all the strange places it takes you, from why humans, unlike other primates, have 46 and not 48 chromosomes, to why you shouldn't eat polar bear liver, and, yes, why a mutation in the thumb made Paganini the greatest vi...
fraudiopub 2012science> geneticsnon fictionRead by Henry LaverBlurb: (From New York Times): best-selling author Sam Kean come more incredible stories of science, history, language, and music, as told by our own DNA.In The Disappearing Spoon, best-selling author Sam Kean unlocked the mysteries of the...
Absolutely excellent read! This man can write! Very accessible, well-researched, and entertaining. I really appreciate Sam Kean's writing style and I got an awful lot out of this book; even if I knew some of the information already, he offered an alternate way of looking at what can often be a cont...
Great book from the author of "The Disappearing Spoon" (one of my all time favorite nonfiction books).
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