An Intelligent Person's Guide to Genetics

A charming romp through the history and future of life. Woolfson contends that synthetic life is inevitable and that we are at the cusp of what he calls a new Enlightenment, which is every bit as significant as the periods of profound intellectual change which converted modern society from a religious to a secular mode of existence. He uses a panalopy of wonderful anecdotes drawn mostly from the Victorian world, descirbing the antics of a host of colourful characters such as Professor Henry Pepper's ghost and strange talking machines. He even discusses the possibility of making fairies and mythical creatures from scratch. This is not a 'genetics for beginners' book but more a cultured exposition of the most interesting and important parts of genetic and genomic theory. I did not expect all of this so was unexpectedly delighted. I highly recommend it!