Author: WEISSMANN, GERALD
Title: The Year of the Genome: A Diary of the Biological Revolution
Description: Times Books. 2002. (ISBN: 9780805070958). Hardcover, 9.5 x 6.5 x 1 inches. Hardback with dustjacket - 2002 - good condition - - used books, secondhand books, for sale, out of print books, hard to find books, second-hand books, college books, student books, nonfiction, first editions, exlibrary books sold, signed copies, non-fiction books delivered world wide. Isbn 0-8050-7095-8, 0805070958. The director of the Biotechnology Study Center at the NYU School of Medicine, Weissmann (Democracy and DNA) here gathers 34 of the columns he published between April 2000 and October 2001 in the webzine Praxis Post. While many of the columns focus on the remarkable genomic milestones reached during that time (e.g. announcement of the draft human sequence in June 2000 and publication of the working draft sequence in February 2001), the essays are thoroughly grounded in medical and biological reality. Weissmann discusses the politics of cloning and contraception and pays welcome attention to public health issues, which will continue to be just as important as molecular biology and biochemistry advances. Juxtaposing true medical progress such as the recent dramatic reductions in deaths from stroke with ongoing struggles against hoof and mouth, mad cow, Ebola, and other diseases, Weissmann's book is erudite, engaging, and accessible. Recommended for public and academic libraries, particularly those with well-thumbed copies of Lewis Thomas's The Lives of a Cell. Collected from an e-zine called Praxis Post, these essays on biomedical topics were all written within the last two years. Prompted by headlines, the most famous of which was the cataloging of the humane genome, Weissmann delves into the science behind the announcement. Connecting dots in the time-honored manner of the essayist, Weissmann is at his best when tracking the progress of medicine within its historical context. The main theme running through these pieces is that despite the sophisticated development of treatments flowing from cellular- and molecular-level knowledge, good old public sanitation is the most utilitarian preventative of illness. He alludes to its prime importance in pieces on diseases that made the news recently, such as the Ebola virus. An information-packed source that provides cultural context and goes a level deeper than the daily newspaper. Used: Acceptable.

Keywords: 9780805070958


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