A Must Read for Those Interested in the Genome

The Genome Odyssey by Dr. Euan Angus Ashley was an incredible, easy to understand overview of the history and importance of the genome. Broken into 4 distinct parts, Ashley guides the reader through the many advancements and genes with examples a non-technical reader can quickly grasp. In the first part, “The Early Genomes”, the history of genome sequencing is described as well as details about the cost and time needed to sequence the whole and companies that were formed to drive these advancements to the consumer once the technology made it past the lab stage. This was one of the denser parts, but the personal stories and impact made it worthwhile and still easy to comprehend. The next 2 parts were my favourite, “Disease Detectives'' and “Affairs of the Heart”. These parts were case studies on how genome sequencing impacted patient diagnostics and treatments. It is here that Ashley’s attention to the humans impacted by the disease really paid off, as the stories were touching, harrowing, and truly drove home the impact of genome science. I flew through these sections; Ashley did a phenomenal job explaining each disease in layman’s terms. The 4th part, “Preciously Accurate Medicine”, discussed the future of genome science and policy. Again, this section was a little more dense, but I think the author did a good job balancing the many facts of the situation and getting the most important to the reader. All in all, this is an excellent introduction to the genome, the science and the politics. I think the ethics of genome science are incredibly important, and Ashley does not shy away from this area at all. I have already recommended this book to friends and will continue to do so.