Quite a lot of the stuff in this book has been covered in other books I have read, most notably by Richard Dawkins, however the writing was fresh and I learned a hell of a lot of stuff throughout this book. I would say it is so far the best book I have read this year and a great introduction to genetics. Early in the next century we will have determined the function of every one of these 100,000 genes. Everything that makes us human can be read in our genes. While many believe that genetics proves biological determinism, Ridley will show that in fact free will is itself in the genes. Genome also argues for the genetic foundations of free will. The first chromosome, for example, contains our oldest genes, genes which we have in common with plants.īy looking at our genes we can see the story of our evolution, what makes us individual, how our sexuality is determined, how we acquire language, why we are vunerable to certain diseases, how mind has arisen.

Genome, a book of about 100,000 words, is divided into 23 chapters, a chapter for each chromosome. These 100,000 genes are sited across 23 pairs of chromosomes. The genome is the collective recipe for the building and running of the human body. The most important investigation of genetic science since The Selfish Gene, from the author of the critically acclaimed and best-selling The Red Queen and The Origins of Virtue.

Genome by Matt Ridley