The Violinist's Thumb

The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Tales of Love, War, and Genius, As Written by Our Genetic Code by Sam Kean Summary: 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. Angie's Comments: An interesting book about DNA and its effect on life. The chapters are short, so it is easy to read one chapter at a time. This book is best for someone who liked high school biology class, as there is a lot science. Kean explains it well, but I did find myself falling back on my biology classes. The book tackles subjects such as sex (or especially sex), diseases, and the Human Genome Project. Recommended for readers with a strong interest in biology. Request this item