Before I even crack open the cover, every book I read starts off at 4 stars... then my rating of the book will either go up or down as the pages turn. Never did I think that a scientific non-fiction book about the human genome would be a 5 star read, but here you have it... The Genome Odyssey by Stanford professor of medicine and genetics Dr. Euan Angus Ashley.
“Wait a second... how can 300+ pages on genetics be interesting?” you might be asking... well, it really is! Dr. Ashley tells absolutely compelling stories of the lives of some of his patents, explains breakthrough medical advancements, and introduces us to the pioneers behind the science of the genome.
But it’s in the way that he relays the information which really makes the book for me. He describes his fellow scientists and the brave patients in a way where the reader is able to picture and get to know the person - just like an author writing a fictional is able to accomplish. He also breaks down the complex information using wonderful analogies and comparisons, no doubt eliciting a number of “Ah, yeah... I get it,” responses.
Even if medical science isn’t your cup of tea, The Genome Odyssey is a book that can be enjoyed by any curious reader!
“Wait a second... how can 300+ pages on genetics be interesting?” you might be asking... well, it really is! Dr. Ashley tells absolutely compelling stories of the lives of some of his patents, explains breakthrough medical advancements, and introduces us to the pioneers behind the science of the genome.
But it’s in the way that he relays the information which really makes the book for me. He describes his fellow scientists and the brave patients in a way where the reader is able to picture and get to know the person - just like an author writing a fictional is able to accomplish. He also breaks down the complex information using wonderful analogies and comparisons, no doubt eliciting a number of “Ah, yeah... I get it,” responses.
Even if medical science isn’t your cup of tea, The Genome Odyssey is a book that can be enjoyed by any curious reader!