Herding Hemingway's Cats

Herding Hemingway's Cats: Understanding How Our Genes Work by Kat Arney Summary:  The language of genes has become common parlance. We know they make our eyes blue, our hair curly, and they control our risks of cancer, heart disease, alcoholism, and Alzheimer's. One thousand dollars will buy you your own genome readout, neatly stored on a USB stick. And advances in genetic medicine hold huge promise. We've all heard of genes, but how do they actually work? There are six feet of DNA inside every one of your cells; this encodes 20,000 or so genes, tangled into a mass of molecular spaghetti. This is the text of the cookbook of life, and hidden within these strands are the instructions that tell cells when and where to turn genes on or off. In 1935, Ernest Hemingway was supposedly given Snow White, a six-toed cat who went on to father a line of similar offspring that still roam the writer's Florida estate. Scientists now know that the fault driving this profusion of digits lies in a tiny genetic control switch, miles away (in molecular terms) from the gene that "makes" toes. Researchers are discovering more about the myriad molecular switches that make sure genes are turned on at the right time and in the right place, and what happens when they don't work properly. This is allowing a four-dimensional picture of DNA to be built--a dynamic biological library, rather than static strings of code. Geneticist Kat Arney explores the intricacies of how, out of this seeming genetic chaos, life is created. Angie’s comments: Arney’s tone is breezy (sometimes too breezy) and light, but she makes the science very understandable. Recommended for readers interested in biology, including those without much knowledge of genetics.  Request this item

Little Girls

Little Girls by Ronald Malfi Summary:  When Laurie was a little girl, she was forbidden to enter the room at the top of the stairs. It was one of many rules imposed by her cold, distant father. Now, in a final act of desperation, her father has exorcised his demons. But when Laurie returns to claim the estate with her husband and ten-year-old daughter, it’s as if the past refuses to die. She feels it lurking in the broken moldings, sees it staring from an empty picture frame, hears it laughing in the moldy greenhouse deep in the woods… At first, Laurie thinks she’s imagining things. But when she meets her daughter’s new playmate, Abigail, she can’t help but notice her uncanny resemblance to another little girl who used to live next door. Who died next door. With each passing day, Laurie’s uneasiness grows stronger, her thoughts more disturbing. Like her father, is she slowly losing her mind? Or is something truly unspeakable happening to those sweet little girls? Angie’s comments: Little Girls is an eerie ghost story. The ending fit the story so well. It is spooky and I was never sure while reading it if I was supposed to be more scared of real humans or the supposed ghost – everything was equally scary. Recommended for readers who like eerie tales. Request this item

Genre Friday: Forensic Reads

Interested in forensic crime investigations? Check out these books: Val McDermid  Forensics: What Bugs, Burns, Prints, DNA, and More Tell Us About Crime  Request this item Douglas Starr The Killer of Little Shepherds: A True Crime Story and the Birth of Forensic Science Request this item Dr. Vincent Di Maio and Ron Franscell Morgue: A Life in Death Request this item Cyril H. Wecht and Dawna Kaufman From Crime Scene to Courtroom: Examining the Mysteries Behind Famous Cases Request this item If you want any more suggestions or ideas, please call or come in the library today!

Looking for Baby Names?

Searching for names for your baby or new pet? Check out these naming books: Joe Borgenicht  What Not to Name Your Baby Request this item Neala Shane Inspired Baby Names from Around the World Request this item Eleanor Turner Baby Names 2017 Request this item Tobias Anthony From Ace to Zowie: The Ultimate Guide to Hip Baby Names Request this item If you want any more suggestions or ideas, please call or come in the library today!