In an impressive narrative, the author renders esoteric DNA concepts accessible to lay readers.
Science writer Kean (The Disappearing Spoon: and Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements, 2010) returns with another wide-ranging, entertaining look at science history, this time focusing on the many mysteries of DNA.
The author examines numerous discoveries in more than a century of DNA and genetics research, including such familiar touchstones as Gregor Mendel’s pea-plant experiments and the double-helix model of Watson and Crick. Kean also explores less-well-known territory, deftly using his stories as jumping-off points to unpack specific scientific concepts. He discusses how DNA discoveries led not only to medical breakthroughs, but also to new ways of looking at the past; they “remade the very study of human beings.” Kean delves into theories regarding possible genetic diseases of Charles Darwin, French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and ancient Egyptian king Tut, among others, and how their ailments may have subtly affected developments in scientific, artistic and even royal history. Some stories edge into more bizarre areas, such as one Soviet scientist’s dream to create a human-chimpanzee hybrid, but Kean also tells the moving story of Tsutomu Yamaguchi, “perhaps the most unlucky man of the twentieth century,” who was near both Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 when the nuclear bombs were dropped—and who, despite almost certainly suffering DNA damage from radiation, lived into his 90s. At his best, Kean brings relatively obscure historical figures to life—particularly Niccolò Paganini, the titular violinist who wowed early-19th-century audiences with his virtuosity, aided by finger flexibility that may have been due to the genetic disease Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Kean’s talent also shines in the sections on scientific rivalries, such as that between biologist Craig Venter’s private company Celera and the government-funded Human Genome Project, both of which are racing to sequence all human DNA.
In an impressive narrative, the author renders esoteric DNA concepts accessible to lay readers.Pub Date: July 17, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-316-18231-7
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 14, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2012
PROFILES
A study, Buckley writes, that was 14 years in the making—and it shows. Well-written, vigorous, and aptly titled, this...
A first-rate history of African-Americans in the military.
Journalist Buckley, daughter of singer Lena Horne, comes from a long line of soldiers who took part in the Revolution, the Indian Wars, WWI, and other conflicts throughout American history. As Buckley writes, African-Americans were generally made to feel unwelcome (if useful cannon fodder) in the military between the years of the Revolution and the Korean War, when President Truman formally integrated the armed services. Buckley begins her sweeping narrative with the black fighters of the Revolution, ignored in standard history texts but honored by the likes of Washington and Jefferson in their time for having “knocked the British about lively.” Among the other early, forgotten patriots of whom she writes is Joseph Savary, a hero of the War of 1812 who helped Andrew Jackson win the Battle of New Orleans; having been ordered not to take part in the victory parade, he angrily denounced American racism and logged time in the pirate trade with Jean Lafitte before heading south to join Simon Bolivar's army. Another is William Carney, who fought with the 55th Massachusetts (the sister regiment of the storied and bloodied 54th) and was the first black fighter to be awarded the Medal of Honor. Most of Buckley's narrative, however, is given to events of the 20th century, from WWI to the invasion of Iraq; a key figure in her text is Colin Powell, who rose through the officer corps to assume a key leadership role in the military (and is now the Secretary of State). If there is an overarching theme to Buckley's narrative, it is that military service offered African-Americans a means of improving their lives; “by helping make history,” she writes, “they fought racism” and overcame prejudices in other branches of society.
A study, Buckley writes, that was 14 years in the making—and it shows. Well-written, vigorous, and aptly titled, this deserves the widest possible readership.Pub Date: May 22, 2001
ISBN: 0-375-50279-3
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2001
BOOK REVIEW
A fast-paced tale of teenage hackers and their potentially dangerous mischief in cyberspace. With a deft touch and an occasionally sardonic yet sympathetic voice, Newsday reporters and mystery coauthors Slatalla and Quittner (Mother's Day, 1993, etc.) create a lively narrative. Queens, N.Y., high school valedictorian Paul Stira and buddy Eli Ladopoulos enlist the notorious Phiber Optik (Mark Abene) to help them probe the phone company computer they've penetrated. When Abene gets expelled from the hack gang Legion of Doom (LOD), he and his new friends, along with two other hackers, form Masters of Deception (MOD). They crash The Learning Link, a regional network that rebroadcasts educational TV shows, leaving a message of bravado; they hack into a Harper's forum on hackers, and their bold defense of the hacker ethic (any system is fair game) unnerves their elders. A battle is engaged between LOD and MOD. The Texans at LOD set up a hacker group to police cyberspace; a racial slur from one infuriates the New Yorkers, who harass their rivals. The Texans, however, enlist the Feds, who step in after one MOD starts peddling credit files. Charged with various counts of wire fraud and unauthorized access to computers, the five New Yorkers plead guilty, but several have jobs waiting when they get out of jail. While the authors note that the growing Internet offers even more opportunity for hacking and that the newly established Electronic Frontier Foundation backed off defending MOD (to avoid being seen as a ``hacker defense fund''), they could have done more to place the MOD's work in the context of the history of hacking. Still, they make technical information accessible, showing the mix of computer smarts and sheer gall (like pretending to be a repairman to extract phone company info) it takes to hack. A good read, if a bit facile. (First serial to Wired; $35,000 ad/promo; author tour)
Pub Date: Jan. 1, 1995
ISBN: 0-06-017030-1
Page Count: 256
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 1994
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