Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters (P.S.) [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

Once called 'the stupid molecule', DNA is revealing its secrets. The exposure is due to the work of many scientists and related to the public by fine writers such as Ridley. Still, we remain mostly in darkness about the role of genes in our lives. Media accounts such as The Times' bring little clarity. The recent debate among the members of Britain's ruling house is a more amusing, but typical, expression of this situation. Ignorance is a disease which no medicine relieves. Education is the antidote and Ridley has provided a palatable dose in GENOME. How many journalists, teachers and doctors are willing to swallow it?

The medical metaphor reflects the underlying theme of GENOME. Much genetic research focuses on medical issues. The biotech industry anticipates immense profit from therapies resulting from the completion of the Human Genome Project. Ridley cites numerous cases of genes being 'identified' with particular illnesses. In nearly all cases, the media trumpets the find with stories of 'genes for [schizophrenia, Huntington's haemophilia, fill in your own]. The public has come to feel these molecular strings in their cells are hidden assassins. The importance of reversing this misconception leads Ridley to declare GENES ARE NOT THERE TO CAUSE DISEASE throughout the book. One is led to wonder which gene drives people to write headlines protracting the reverse view.

Ridley keeps a fine balance in the 'genetic determinism' debate. His chapter on chromosome 10 provides a captivating account of the endless feedback loops between genes, their structure and role, and the impact of the environment on both. His ability to explain why we must avoid seeking simple answers and shed preconceptions ranks among the best in print. It will take an immense amount of research and talented scientists to trace the intricate pathways of these elements. As a journalist, he displays a good talent for explaining what is known, and what needs to be studied further.

His account of the Britain's 'mad cow disease' episode is perhaps the perfect example of why the world needs more Matt Ridleys. Panicky politicians, spurred on by 'shouting media' in both this and the GM food debate, responded hysterically to the cost of nearly two hundred thousand cattle and strained relations between Britain and the European Union. A responsible media might have tempered this disaster. The public needs to make informed decisions and it's a pity that the media continues to ignore the easily readable messages Ridley has provided in this book.

There are really only two flaws in GENOME. The notes need to be closer to the text. Page references are a start, but there's an awful lot of page flipping to see where the information is coming from. The glaring blemish is in the Index. This book is far too important to omit so many references to what is in the text. Phrase after phrase appears, and when wishing to review it later, discovered the term wasn't even listed. It is to be hoped this was a money-saving gesture on the part of the publisher, and not laziness of the author. That said, the value of the book is too great to allow such small faults to discourage even the most mildly interested reader. GENOME is about you and me. I've read it more than once and discussed it with many. Hopefully, more of you out there will follow that example.

The first problem was the identification of the chapters with the 23 chromosomes. That limited him to about one gene per chromosome with which to illustrate the topic of the chapter. Unfortunately not all the genes for learning, development and so on, are on the same chromosome. So in a book about science the actual science was almost totally absent. He then used old and current history/gossip to fill in the rest of the chapter. All the chapters were like this so there was no real common unifying argument running through the book. There was no focus ! In one chapter he digresses for around 10 pages on the eugenics movement. While that certainly is a valid topic for a science book of some sort, it does not have anything to do with the actual discoveries of the human genome.

The old history and current efforts were heavily laden with what I can only call insular British snobbery of the worst sort. In the Red Queen he actually presented opposing views and then presented a collegial set of arguments to show why he disagreed. In this work he seems to have done away with the presentation of ideas, and simply reduces other ideas he disagrees with to a few lines he then sneers at. Science reporting by scorn. He sneers at global warming, but doesn't say why, he sneers at the language studies conducted with monkeys -- and then turns around in a chapter and extols animal learning. The only sneer he does expand on, is his contempt for the British government's efforts to ban British beef due to mad cow disease (yes this too is part of a book on the human genome).

He seemed at particular pains to savage Americans, and to paint himself as a Briton living in England. He described one millionaire in the bio game as a 'high school drop out, former professional surfer, and Vietnam veteran' ? Now if his point is this person lacks an academic background then he is correct, but that is not stated -- the implication is that this person is worthless simply due to his unorthodox background. The tone of the whole book leads me to believe this book is in fact aimed at Ridley's British colleagues. He hopes to prove to them that though he has journeyed in the land of the barbarian (USA) he in fact has not been corrupted. That is the only way I can make sense of the tone of the book and the totally bizarre inclusion of Alexander the Great as a way to describe the ancient Egyptian god Ammon.

His forays into other areas could be a wonderful addition and support to a heavily science laden tome -- but these forays are almost all there is. He then wanders off topic to preach on items that he supports or that he is against. When he does not stray from the topic he tends to talk down and lecture his audience. He is against the use of presenting diseases as the means to explain a gene -- but then he repeatedly does this himself. He seems to miss the point that disease often helps to point out what went wrong and how. He forgets that his audience is unlikely to be sensation seekers, so he feels the need to periodically admonish us in what looks like 22 point type that genes aren't there to cause disease.

Finally this odd, confused book simply ends. He reaches the end of his 23rd chapter and simply stops. No summary, no wrap-up, no hopes or ideas for the future. The impression given is that someone just turned off the power, or that he completed the required number of words and that was all the time he wished to spend on the book.