The Human Genome: A User's Guide, Second Edition (Elsevier Science in Society)

Book Description

This second edition of a very successful text reflects the tremendous pace of human genetics research and the demands that it places on society to understand and absorb its basic implications. The human genome has now been officially mapped and the cloning of animals is becoming a commonplace scientific discussion on the evening news. Join authors Julia Richards and Scott Hawley as they examine the biological foundations of humanity, looking at the science behind the sensation and the current and potential impact of the study of the genome on our society.

The Human Genome, Second Edition is ideal for students and non-professionals, but will also serve as a fitting guide for the novice geneticist by providing a scientific, humanistic, and ethical frame of reference for a more detailed study of genetics.

New in this edition:
· 60% new material, including data from the Human Genome Project and the latest genetics and ethics discussions
· Several new case studies and personal stories that bring the concepts of genetics and heredity to life
· Simplified treatment of material for non-biology majors
· New full-color art throughout the text
· New co-author, Julia Richards, joins R. Scott Hawley in this revision

Customer Reviews:

Somewhere between a textbook and an article in time magazine........2006-09-24

I had the tremendous honor of being taught genetics by two brilliant scientists at the University of Missouri Kansas City, one of whom was Dr. R. Scott Hawley (the other was Dr. Saul Honigberg). Dr. Hawley's name is regnant in the world of meiotic genetics, and a significant percentage of modern biological knowledge can be found within the many pages he has authored. Not only is Dr. Hawley a brilliant scientist, he is also a gifted story-teller. He has an excellent sense of humor, and he has repeatedly proven he can make a grown man cry with his heart-tugging stories of real people affected by very real disease. He infuses his literature on science and medicine with a dose of compassion, much-needed by students of science, like myself, who spend hours trying to see disease in terms of molecules rather than human faces.

I am not very familar with any other work done by Julie Richards, but if this text is representative of her fare I would say she too is quite gifted.

This is an excellent book.

That said, I would caution anyone who wants a very deep and detailed study of the science of genetics to look elsewhere because this book merely contains the essential molecular information for understanding the rest of the text (it is, after all, "a user's guide," not a PhD-student's guide). Still, it is an excellent, extremely informative read, with some paradigm-shifting perspectives to offer.

Awesome!.......2004-11-04

I am a Genetics student at the University of Kansas with the intent of beginning medical school in August. I strongly feel this text has helped me to be better prepared on this topic. I enjoyed the style in which this book was written since you can almost hear the authors speak directly to you as you're reading. I especially admire and appreciate the authors' human sides come across in the examples that are given. Too bad my other science textbooks aren't as interesting!

Better than before!.......2004-10-14

I personally think that the first edition was unfairly reviewed-A couple of the ridiculously negative reviewers who bashed the book (without providing much explanation or insight) were probably written by former students whom the authors flunked, since the attacks appear personal. Of course, the first edition wasn't perfect, although it was pretty darn good! I recently had a chance to peek at the new, 2nd edition, and was thrilled to see so many improvements. The language is much clearer and easier to follow since the authors use a nice conversational tone and less-technical language. The color art is really impressive and ADDS to the new edition. The book is at least twice as long and packed with current, up-to-date information such as human cloning, the human genome project and genetic diseases. I definitely recommend buying this book!

Timely and Thorough revision.......2004-10-14

This SECOND EDITION is a major improvement on the first (which was already pretty good). It's an excellent text on modern Human Genetics. Not too overwhelming for non-experts, in fact perfect for the absolute novice, but enough science to really get the gist of the issues. It goes a long way to explaining some difficult concepts that I haven't seen treated correctly elsewhere.

Individual aspects of disorders covered.......2000-04-02

I had this text for a MCB 10 (genetics) course at UC Davis in California. I found the science part of it interesting and for the most part helpful. I think the authors really tried to keep the reader's interest, and make a subject that is not always thought of as fascinating a little more light and relevant. People may disagree about including anecdotes in a textbook, but I think the anecdotes, while they may have been out of place, made the book more readable for me. Also, I really admired the way the authors focused on the individual aspects of the disorders they mentioned. As a young woman with Turners Syndrome, I can say that it was very refreshing that for once we were not portrayed as genetic mutants, and that individual differences that occur in any disorder was pointed out. I think it's sad, looking down the reviews, that only the bad reviews were seen as helpful. I would hope that people will give this book a chance.

Welcome to the Genome: A User's Guide to Your Genetic Past, Present, and Future

Average customer rating:

nicely presented but elementary, politically correct
An executive summary of genomics for the lay person.

Welcome to the Genome: A User's Guide to Your Genetic Past, Present, and Future
Rob DeSalle
Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Genetics | Evolution | Science | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0471453315

Book Description

A thrilling "user's guide" to the genomics era

Welcome to the genome, the miraculous blueprint of your DNA, coiled tight as a spring in the nucleus of each cell of your body. If unwound, the DNA from just one cell, while only a molecule in width, would stretch six feet in length! The information stored in its double helix structure - three billion bits worth - could fill 142 Manhattan phone books.

Yet far more amazing than these facts is the impact the study of genomics has had on so many areas of our lives. From the promise of personalized medicine and gene therapy to disputes over the safety of genetically modified (GM) foods, there is little doubt we are in the midst of the Genomic Revolution. Now how do we make sense of it all?

Welcome to the Genome takes you right into the thick of today's most cutting-edge science and its far-reaching implications. Authors Rob DeSalle, who curated the highly successful Genomics Revolution exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and Michael Yudell, Assistant Professor of Public Health at Drexel University, have written a book which clearly explains the ongoing saga of our attempts to understand the mystery of biology's Rosetta Stone and use its code to better our lives.

This reader-friendly book employs an understandable style and eye-popping full-color illustrations to provide real insights into the complex science involved. It delves into the past discoveries that led to the sequencing of the human genome; it presents the challenges facing today's scientists and society and culture in general; and it considers the future possibilities of the developing genome era. Social issues, particularly questions of ethics, receive special attention, covering an important area too often overshadowed by science and technology.

If the genome really is the book of life, then we have only just opened to the first of its many pages. Those who triumphantly claim DNA is destiny may have spoken too soon; it is far more likely today's discoveries will lead to insights yet to be imagined. A stirring and informative introduction to a scientific epic still unfolding, Welcome to the Genome is an essential guide for understanding - and participating in - the incredible explorations, discussions, and realizations of the Genomic Revolution.

Customer Reviews:

nicely presented but elementary, politically correct.......2006-03-28

i agree with another reviewer about the multicultural bias in the book. im strongly opposed to politics interfering with science, and for that i was tempted to give this book 1 star. a book by cavalli-sforza and a wealth of other evidence clearly document the existence of distinct human races. pity that left wing doctrine had to be infused into yet another work of scientific literature. additionally, eugenics is incorrectly interpreted with respect to the Holocaust. other books do justice to the topic of eugenics instead of branding it as evil as this book does; i heartily recommend them. eugenics is fascinating and is the ultimate aim of the study of human genetics--given that the latter is the topic of this book, its ironic and inappropriate for the authors to wholeheartedly denounce eugenics in the way laymen would.

aside from that, the book is really basic. anyone with some college level background in genetics and biotechnology will find himself quickly skimming through the book's entirety, like i did. for folks below college age or with little exposure to the subject matter, this book is good. its visually appealing and easy reading, also short. there was a neat do-it-yourself at home experiment at the end for viewing your own DNA. its just an extraction, for those of you in the know, but i didnt realize it could be performed so readily.

read the book if youre inexperienced with this but interested in it, and the same for younger ppl. just think critically about the politically touchy subjects rather than accepting them at face value. fearless authors would confront them head on, but after The Bell Curve fiasco its understandable that people would take the easy way out and offer up the usual PC science. consider Lawrence Summers (formerly) of Harvard

An executive summary of genomics for the lay person........2005-04-24

If you need a quick overview to the current state of the art of genetic science and its applications, you'll find this book to be a useful text. I appreciated the succinct style and depth of presentation.

However, as one who follows the news on the ethics of genetic testing, I was annoyed by the authors' obvious bias towards the multicultural viewpoint. They champion the view that there is no genetic basis for race, baldly stating on page 131 that "commonly used ethnic and racial categories do not accurately reflect human genetic variation." The endnote to support this claim is a reference to a 1997 study.

Being a 2005 publication, the authors had both the opportunity and the duty to cite more recent, conflicting studies that support the opposing view, namely that genetic variations fall closely into traditional groupings of race. For example, see the February 2004 American Journal of Human Genetics article by Neil Risch of the Stanford University School of Medicine.

My point is that neither view is definitively supported at this stage of understanding of the genome, yet the authors present the issue as a settled question. Other, similarly-slanted statements throughout the book stain the authors otherwise readable presentation of the science and the ethical questions to which it gives rise.

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The Human Genome : A User's Guide
R. Scott Hawley Julia E. Richards
Manufacturer: Academic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OHSIT4

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The Human Genome: a User's Guide
R. Scott; Mori, Catherine A.; Hawley
Manufacturer: Academic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000LZF54K

The Human Genome: A User's Guide by Hawley, R. Scott; Mori...

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The Human Genome: A User's Guide by Hawley, R. Scott; Mori...
R. Scott Hawley; Catherine A. Mori
Manufacturer: Academic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OHWFOI

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The Gramineae. A Study of Cereal, Bamboo and Grass.
Agnes Arber
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press 1934.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NKK3N6

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The Gramineae: A study of cereal, bamboo, and grass
Agnes Robertson Arber
Manufacturer: University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Plants | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: B00085PN9U

Amazon.com

Franz Kafka rarely left his home town of Prague. At 19, he wrote "Prague doesn't let go. This little mother has claws." And though he complained often to his diary that he needed to get away, he spent most of his 41 years (1883-1924) firmly Prague-rooted. Prague is where Kafka wrote The Metamorphosis, The Trial, and The Castle, and where he lived and worked. A fan of Kafka might want to see the houses (nearly all still standing) where Kafka lived and the parks he strolled. Likewise, fans of Prague get an expanded understanding of the city through Kafka's eyes. This erudite and beautifully compiled Travel Reader is not only a guide to the Prague that Kafka knew, but also a guide to the Kafka that Prague knew.

Customer Reviews:

"This little mother has claws.".......2003-07-16

Franz Kafka spent most of his life in Prague, even though he always felt like a stranger there -- a German-speaking Jew in a predominately Czech Catholic town. Consequently, there are many sites in Prague that are of some interest to fans of Kafka's work. Klaus Wagenbach's little "Travel Reader" highlights most of these sites (e.g., the writer's birthplace, all the Kafka family residences around Old Town Square, Kafka's apartment in the castle, etc.). If you're headed to Prague, you could easily spend half a day retracing Kafka's footsteps with this guide. The book includes a map and numerous photographs of the city as it appeared about 100 years ago so you can contrast today's Prague with the Prague Kafka new. It also includes some short excerpts from Kafka's works, mostly vignettes like the haunting "An Imperial Edict", included next to the sections on the buildings where Kafka lived.

I lived in Prague myself for a month this summer and frequently took this book along with me on my evening jaunts through town. The selections from the writer's work included here helped add personal and emotional meaning to what otherwise might have been just a bunch of buildings. Highly recommended.

Book Description

"The heroine’s transformation into someone who finds her own style and speaks her own mind is believable — and worthy of applause." — PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

Fifteen-year-old Virginia Shreves has a larger-than-average body and a plus-size inferiority complex, especially when she compares herself to her slim, brilliant, picture-perfect family. But that’s before a shocking phone call — and a horrifying allegation — about her rugby-star brother changes everything. With irreverent humor and surprising gravity, Carolyn Mackler creates an endearingly blunt heroine who speaks to every teen who struggles with family expectations, and proves that the most impressive achievement is to be true to yourself.

Customer Reviews:

Not a Self-Help Guide, But Still Super Inspirational.......2007-07-28

I just finished this book, and I couldn't put it down. It is not an action-thriller or crime story. Instead, it's a realistic story told from a to-the-point perspective. Virginia Shreves is "not FAT fat. Just chubby fat." Her family is full of perfect brunettes (and skinny ones, FYI), so she's always been the oddball. But that's what you have to love about her. She's so real.

I could completely relate to this story, because I had problems with weight, too. Reading the dieting tips Virginia came up with made me laugh and think. The book is basically about a girl who is heavier than your average teen, and who has a hard time fitting in with her own family.

I never read anything by Carolyn Mackler before, except for a story in a magazine, but after reading The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things, I'm looking forward to picking up another book by her. Reading about Virginia's struggles to find some confidence made me realize that "fat" is not a bad thing. As long as you are healthy (and not making yourself vomit in a toilet) and happy with yourself, it's all good.

Beautifully Candid Teen Fiction.......2007-03-30

Virginia Shreves feels like the blonde, overweight exception to her perfectly fit, brunette family. Her mother is a beautiful adolescent psychologist, her father rarely around but equally successful, and her brother is the big man on campus at Columbia University. Virginia lives by her laugh-out-loud hilarious Fat Girl Code of Conduct, and has recently started an awkward romantic relationship with class reject Froggy. Virginia's perceptions change as she realizes her family dynamic isn't as simple as she thought. Her mom unfairly criticizes Virginia for being overweight, and her brother's social status is ruined by a campus scandal. Said scandal and Virginia's language when dealing with issues in her life make this book more appropriate for mature teen readers, but this book is a wonderfully funny, realistic portrayal of high school life of an overweight female teen trying to lose weight for all the wrong reasons.

The earth, my butt and other big round things.......2007-03-27

The book "The earth, my butt, and other big round things" is about a teenage girl named Virginia whoes parents don't appriciate her very much because they think she's overweight. Throughout the book, many things happen to Virginia such as her friend living in Walla Walla for a year. Also, she decides to change her style by dying her hair purple and getting an eyebrow ring. In her family, a lot of things are going on with her brother. Overall, Virginia is going through many teenage things throughout this book.

There were many good parts in this book. My favorite part was when Virginia goes on the airplane to go visit her friend Shannon and gets her eyebrow pierced. This was a very funny part.

I would definately recommend this book to a lot of people. I would say that this was a girls book. You would like it if you like books about teenagers problems. This was my favorite book I've read in a while and I would say you would probably like it. There were many funny parts in it. Overall, this is a very good book for teenage girls to read.

Fat Girl Code of Conduct.......2007-03-11

There is really nothing wrong with being larger than average. Comprehending this is not something Virginia Shreves is able to do. On top of that, she is in denial, refusing to look in a mirror. Once she finally comes to grips with the fact that being overweight isn't something she wants, she decides to drop the pounds. Sadly, nothing is working. After weeks of hating herself, Virginia realizes that her problem isn't so much her weight as her self esteem. Once she grasps this concept, not only does her self respect go up, but she does things (like kickboxing) to actually change herself. So, in the end, everything works out all right.
Normally, Virginia stays comfortably in her penthouse apartment in NYC. She loves it there because you can easily walk to anything you want or need. But when her best friend Shannon (who just moved to Walla Walla, Washington) invites her to spend Thanksgiving with their family in Seattle, Virginia just can't refuse.
Once in Seattle, Virginia's outlook on herself begin to drastically change. She and Shannon decide to do something outrageous for Thanksgiving, and agree on both piercing something. While Shannon gets her tongue done, Virginia settles for her eyebrow. Turning out to be a real turning point for Virginia's new look, everyone (including Virginia, of course) absolutely adores her eyebrow ring.

The Fat Girl Code of Conduct.......2007-03-11

There is really nothing wrong with being larger than average. Comprehending that is not something Virginia Shreves is able to do. On top of that, she's in denial, refusing to look in mirrors. Once she finally comes to grips with the fact that being overweight isn't something she wants, she decides to drop the pounds. Sadly, nothing is working. After weeks of hating herself, Virginia finally realizes that her problem isn't weight, so much as self esteem. Once she grasps this concept, not only does her self respect go up, but she actually does things(like kickboxing) to change. So, everything works out all right in the end.
Normally, Virginia stays comfortably in her penthouse apartment in NYC. She loves it there because you can easily walk to anything you need or want. But when her best friend Shannon(who just moved to Walla Walla, Washington) invites her to spend Thanksgiving with their family in Seattle, Virginia just can't refuse.
Once in Seattle, Virginia's outlook on herself starts to drastically change. She and Shannon decide to do something outrageous for Thanksgiving, and agree on each piercing something. While Shannon gets her toung done, Virginia settles for her eyebrow. Turning out to be a real turning point for Virginia's new look, everyone(including Virginia, of course) adores her eyebrow ring.

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things (Unabridged)

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The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things (Unabridged)
Carolyn Mackler
Manufacturer: Recorded Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: 1419318179

Product Description

Unabridged audio book, 5 discs.

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Nature Notes of an Edwardian Lady (companion to Country Diary)
Edith Holden
Manufacturer: Bloomsbury Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NHJA0Q

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Nature Notes of the Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady
Edith Holden
Manufacturer: Harpercollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0060152265

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The Nature Notes of an Edwardian Lady

Breathtaking nature walk

Nature Notes of an Edwardian Lady (Country Diary)
Edith Holden
Manufacturer: Penguin Putnam~trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | England | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
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The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady: A Facsimile Reproduction of a Naturalist's Diary for the Year 1906

The Edwardian Lady: The Story of Edith Holden, Author of the Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady

The Painted Garden: A Year In Words And Watercolors (Courage Inspirations)

The Country Diary Of An Edwardian Lady

The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady

ASIN: 0718133390

Customer Reviews:

The Nature Notes of an Edwardian Lady.......2005-02-28

Edith Holden was an excellent observer of nature and an outstanding artist of what she saw. The inclusion of some of my favorite poems by well known authors makes this book an absolute delight!

Breathtaking nature walk.......2004-12-02

Elizabeth Holden's The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady seems to have more popularity than The Nature Notes, but I have found it to be just as awesome and inspiring as The Country Diary. In fact, if it is possible, I like this one more so than The Country Diary, although its setup is very much the same. The book is broken down by months from January through December. Each month begins with a brief history of the month, related folk lore, and poetry. The art work is wonderful and the entries draw you into the adventures of Ms. Holden. Even though the journal was kept almost 100 years ago, you feel that you are right there beside Ms. Holden, and for me, she has become a friend. She has been a great motivation for me to illustrate my own journals. I would highly recommend this book as well as The Country Diary if you love nature walks and journaling.

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Nature Notes for 1906 (Unabridged)
Vanessa Benjamin
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
ASIN: B000E10YSI

Nature Notes of The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady

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Nature Notes of The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady
Edith and Jenkins, Alan C. Holden
Manufacturer: Harper & Row
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000O7WDUE

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Nature Notes of the Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady
Alan C. & Holden, Edith Jenkins
Manufacturer: HARPER &Row
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000K96AX2

Book Description

Continuum Models for Phase Transitions and Twinning in Crystals presents the fundamentals of a remarkably successful approach to crystal thermomechanics. Developed over the last two decades, it is based on the mathematical theory of nonlinear thermoelasticity, in which a new viewpoint on material symmetry, motivated by molecular theories, plays a central role. This is the first organized presentation of a nonlinear elastic approach to twinning and displacive phase transition in crystalline solids. The authors develop geometry, kinematics, and energy invariance in crystals in strong connection and with the purpose of investigating the actual mechanical aspects of the phenomena, particularly in an elastostatics framework based on the minimization of a thermodynamic potential. Interesting for both mechanics and mathematical analysis, the new theory offers the possibility of investigating the formation of microstructures in materials undergoing martensitic phase transitions, such as shape-memory alloys. Although phenomena such as twinning and phase transitions were once thought to fall outside the range of elastic models, research efforts in these areas have proved quite fruitful. Relevant to a variety of disciplines, including mathematical physics, continuum mechanics, and materials science, Continuum Models for Phase Transitions and Twinning in Crystals is your opportunity to explore these current research methods and topics.

Book Description

Shlomith Rimmon-Kenan addresses key approaches to narrative fiction, from New Criticism to Phenomenology, but also offers views on and modifications to these theories.

Customer Reviews:

Introduction to Narratology.......2000-05-23

Rimmon-Kenan's introduction to narratology possesses that rare quality of clarity and simplicity which lulls the reader into believing that he or she actually intuited it all beforehand. In a field as theoretical and complex as narratology, such an introduction is a gem. Beware of chapter 2, though. It delves too deeply into structuralism without clarifying sufficiently the terms that convey its concepts. In fact, Rimmon-Kenan herself did not entirely write this chapter. She relied "heavily on a draft prepared by" an early collaborator on the book, Moshe Ron, who then had to retire from the project. Rimmon-Kenan says that "the general conception, the substance, the order of the items, and the style have undergone serious changes, so that...Ron can no longer be held responsible for the weaknesses" (p. 134 n. 1). The sharp contrast in style with the rest of the book-for the worse-testifies to the overlaid character of this chapter and makes one wish she had rewritten it from scratch. Still, the book provides a fine introduction even without that chapter. The selectively annotated, refreshingly brief but substantive bibliography offers a rare treat.

Old but still good introduction to narratology.......1999-10-23

This is a useful introduction to narratology. It is ordered according to Genette's tripartite division into Text, Narration and Story. However, sometimes the same terms are explained in more than one of these fields, causing confusion (for example: characterization). A further and more serious cause of confusion is the treatment of very different schools of analysis, such as Propp and Levi-Strauss, that have very little in common with Genette. In this way the Genettian division makes no sense, and this book would be better served if it would limit its scope to one approach instead of taking them all aboard. The discussion of Genette and related scholars (Prince, Chatman, the Tel Aviv poeticians) itself is quite excellent. That would be worth four stars, but because the book was never updated since its original publication in 1983, it is marked down by one. The bibliography gives a splendid account of all the work done up to 1983, stressing the most important publications with an asterisk.

A great introductory work.......1997-05-09

Shlomith Rimmon-Kenan's work is a testament to the ever-increasing interest in the field of literary criticism. In it, she outlines the basic concepts required to define and to 'understand' literature and the study of literature as an academic discipline. Her arguments are well-supported by her many examples taken from narrative authors such as John Dos Passos, James Joyce and Honore' de Balzac. This book should be a standard text for any introductory course in Western literature

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Narrative Fiction: Contemporary Poetics
Shlomith Rimmon-Kenan
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NEILFY

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NARRATIVE FICTION: CONTEMPORARY POETICS
Shlomith RIMMON-KENAN
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NPL0NI

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