Comments (17)

The Violinist's Thumb

and Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code
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Nov 23, 2021pacl_teens rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
"The Violinist’s Thumb by Sam Kean tells the story of genetic discoveries through the ages, all with the intention to uncover what makes human, human. Each chapter starts with a story that connects to the topic Kean wants to discuss in the…
Aug 24, 2021SPSit rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Very informative; well researched. Will try to read a hard copy to get more out of the text and the end-notes as the eBook is not conducive for flipping pages back and forth.
Jul 16, 2021barkisaz rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Finding this book took a super sleuth librarian-the large-print non-fiction section is small and unmarked. That started the fun. I like the lively writing and info about the sometimes weird and brilliant people who added to our knowledge…
May 25, 2021
I found Kean's writing style cloying and distracting. Every sentence seems to have some little gimmick in it.
May 16, 2020humbleworm rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
I'd recommend any of Sam Kean's books as informative and approachable. Unfortunately, this book was published in 2012 so it doesn't cover significant advances in CRISPR technology the same year. For anyone not familiar with the concept…
Mar 12, 2018SPPL_Anna rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this book, but my main takeaway was do not eat the liver of any arctic predators because the Vitamin A will kill you.
Nov 18, 2016Phoebe_2 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
fascinating
Nov 15, 2016USAF1969 rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
This is a good read. I liked the effort to make a complex, but fascinating, area of science manageable for those of who are not scientists. I did find that every now and then the author would get a little carried away with the details…
Jul 02, 2016dano62 rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
The authors writing style and expressions took some getting used to at the beginning, but complements the telling of groundbreaking discoveries and background information well, it added a fun sceptical layer. He points out what we still…
Oct 02, 2015pragensis rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
To those readers who rated this book 4 stars and even 3 and a half: what else do you need to bestow a 5-star rating? This is a master piece both in scope and style. Don't hold your breath waiting for something better.
Aug 21, 2015wyenotgo rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Despite its fairly advanced and highly complex technical content, this book is very readable and at times even amusing. It includes so many intriguing side issues, references and acecdotes that I actually found myself reading every one of…
Jul 17, 2014delfon rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This is a review of genetic discoveries. One finds humanity is only 2% of our makeup, most of us are virus's, or junk. An entertaining easy to read explanation which seems more up to date then; it appears, some of our research…
Jul 16, 2014ClaireM_W rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I heartily agree - this is a great book.
Oct 03, 2013ALLAN JOHN FLETCHER rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
-a fun read. Kean is witty and irreverent. There are some great yarns in The Violinist's Thumb. He's also remarkably adept at elucidating complex scientific concepts for non-scientists.
Mar 08, 2013sess430 rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
As Mr. Kean states in the introduction, "this is a book about DNA." I appreciated learning a lot of new information that has been added about genetics since I took a course in the '80s. It is written in a lively style, accessible to…
Aug 15, 2012nats310 rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Kean writes in an approachable style, breaking down complex scientific theories for the layperson well. Fascinating tidbits throughout about what happens when DNA functions well. . . and those times it doesn't. Also, interesting…
Aug 04, 2012mswendybe rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Awesome book about genes. I found the first chapter a little slow, but I'm happy I stuck with it. A history of the science of DNA, and you needn't have studied it in school to understand this book.