The Language of the Genes
by Steve Jones
On This Page
Description
Steve Jones's highly acclaimed, double prize-winning, bestselling first book is now fully revised to cover all the new genetic breakthroughs from GM food to Dolly the sheep.'An essential sightseer's guide to our own genetic terrain.' Peter Tallack, Sunday Telegraph 'Superb and stimulating...an exhilarating trip around the double spiral of DNA, a rush of gravity-defying concepts and wild swerves of the scientific imagination.' J.G. Ballard, Daily Telegraph 'Not so much divination as show more demystification... An attempt to bring genetics and evolution more into the public domain. If, for instance, you ever wondered just what genetic engineering is about, here is as good a place as any to discover. Few have Jones's ability to communicate a difficult idea with such humour, clarity, precision and ease.' Laurence Hurst, Times Higher ; 'Sensitive to the social issues raised by genetics... yet Jones's interest reaches beyond contemporary social issues to the human past, to what genetics can and cannot tell us about our evolution and patterns of social development. He interleaves a broad knowledge of biology with considerations of cultural, demographic and - as his title indicates - linguistic history. At once instructive and captivating.' Daniel J.Kevles, London Review of Books show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
Plenty of good stuff in this but despite the revamp for the second edition, it's still looking a bit outdated for current reading in 2011. Would no doubt have been really worth it when it won the Rhone-Poulenc prize in the 90s.
Very readable for an interested non-scientist like myself
Very, very readable science; really, really interesting. Must read more of Jones's books.
Very, very readable science; really, really interesting. Must read more of Jones's books.
A popular science book that explains how genetics shapes life, inheritance, and evolution.
It uses clear, engaging language to trace the history of genetic discovery, the structure and function of DNA, and the implications of modern genetics for medicine, human diversity, and our understanding of what makes us who we are.
It uses clear, engaging language to trace the history of genetic discovery, the structure and function of DNA, and the implications of modern genetics for medicine, human diversity, and our understanding of what makes us who we are.
Sep 29, 2025English (UK)
Very good for those interested in biology and medicine. If you find science is boring you would not change your side after this book.
Vrlo dobra knjiga. Mnogo zanimljivosti i novih saznanja za čitatelja. Pisano na razini između popularne i znanstvene razine. Tema je nasljeđivanje bolesti, evolucija, jedinstvo ljudskog roda, novi načini liječenja. Stil nije pitak, ali se može čitati. Kvalitetno je u znanstvenom smislu. Osobito impresioniraju opisi novih tehnologija. Male zamjerke prevoditelju i korektoru. "Kao i u geografiji, tako je i u genetici riječ o mapama, u ovom slučaju o mapama našeg vlastitog nasljeđa. Tek dvije tisuće godina nakon Herodota, kad su izumljeni sat i kompas, bilo je moguće izmjeriti stvarnu udaljenost show more između mjesta na Zemlji. Nakon što je to bilo usavršeno, pojavile su se dobre karte i Herodot nam se činio pomalo smiješnim. Sad se ista stvar događa u biologiji. Čini se da je, sve do nedavno, genetika radila iste greške kao i antički Grci. Baš kao i kartografiranje svijeta, tako je i stvaranje karte gena moralo pričekati na tehnološki napredak i sad kad se to dogodilo, posve je promijenjen oblik biološkog atlasa, a ta je promjena pogleda na sliku svijeta znatno veća od razlike između geografije Atenjana i današnje. Čak i ono što se još samo prije tri desetljeća činilo jednostavnim i pouzdanim kartama genoma (utemeljenim na orijentirima kao što su boja zrna ili urođena bolest), danas izgleda prilično iskrivljeno. Naposljetku, zlatno doba kartografije potaknuli su ekonomisti: u želji da se nađu nove sirovine i (...)" show less
Vrlo dobra knjiga. Mnogo zanimljivosti i novih saznanja za čitatelja. Pisano na razini između popularne i znanstvene razine. Tema je nasljeđivanje bolesti, evolucija, jedinstvo ljudskog roda, novi načini liječenja. Stil nije pitak, ali se može čitati. Kvalitetno je u znanstvenom smislu. Osobito impresioniraju opisi novih tehnologija. Male zamjerke prevoditelju i korektoru. "Kao i u geografiji, tako je i u genetici riječ o mapama, u ovom slučaju o mapama našeg vlastitog nasljeđa. Tek dvije tisuće godina nakon Herodota, kad su izumljeni sat i kompas, bilo je moguće izmjeriti stvarnu udaljenost show more između mjesta na Zemlji. Nakon što je to bilo usavršeno, pojavile su se dobre karte i Herodot nam se činio pomalo smiješnim. Sad se ista stvar događa u biologiji. Čini se da je, sve do nedavno, genetika radila iste greške kao i antički Grci. Baš kao i kartografiranje svijeta, tako je i stvaranje karte gena moralo pričekati na tehnološki napredak i sad kad se to dogodilo, posve je promijenjen oblik biološkog atlasa, a ta je promjena pogleda na sliku svijeta znatno veća od razlike između geografije Atenjana i današnje. Čak i ono što se još samo prije tri desetljeća činilo jednostavnim i pouzdanim kartama genoma (utemeljenim na orijentirima kao što su boja zrna ili urođena bolest), danas izgleda prilično iskrivljeno. Naposljetku, zlatno doba kartografije potaknuli su ekonomisti: u želji da se nađu nove sirovine i (...)" show less
Feb 13, 2009Croatian
Ratings
Members
- Recently Added By
Author Information
13+ Works 2,872 Members
Steve Jones is the author of The Darwin Archipelago; Y: The Descent of Man; Darwin's Ghost; Almost Like a Whale: The Origin of Species; and The Serpents Promise. Jones is the winner of Royal Society Faraday Medal for the Public Understanding of Science. He lives in London.
Awards and Honors
Work Relationships
Is abridged in
Common Knowledge
- Original title
- The Language of the Genes, Biology, History and Our Evolutionary Future
- Original publication date
- 1993
- Dedication
- To my parents and my brother who share my genes and my affection
- First words
- The old English family the Temple-Nugent-Bridges-Chandos-Grenvilles -- now, alas, extinct -- was justifiably proud of its heritage.
Introduction: In 1902, in Paris, a horrible murder was solved by the great French detective, Alfonse Bertillon.
Preface: I have spent -- some might say wasted -- most of my scientific career working on snails. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Fortunately, no-one reading this book will be around to see if I am right.
- Blurbers
- Horton, Richard; Grayling, A.C.; Concar, David; Wills, Christopher; Bonn, Dorothy; Ballard, J. G. (show all 11); Hurst, Laurence; Kevles, Daniel J.; Tallack, Peter; Wolpert, Lewis; Gribbin, John
Classifications
- Genres
- Science & Nature, Nonfiction, General Nonfiction, History
- DDC/MDS
- 573.21 — Natural sciences & mathematics Biology Specific physiological systems in animals, regional histology and physiology in animals Origin of man
- LCC
- QH431 .J575 — Science Natural history – Biology Biology (General) Genetics
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 396
- Popularity
- 78,386
- Reviews
- 6
- Rating
- (3.88)
- Languages
- 5 — Czech, Dutch, English, Polish, Croatian
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 10
- ASINs
- 4
