Generation: The Seventeenth-Century Scientists Who Unraveled the Secrets of Sex, Life, and Growth

This is a great book; very multifaceted. It is not just the story of three 17th century scientists trying to work out the secrets of reproduction (then called generation). It is also a story about the development of science and the use of experimentation to find a conclusion. Of course by the end of the 17th century, scientists still had not figured everything out, so the book goes on to explain progress made in the field since the 1600s, including Gregor Mendel's pea experiments, the discovery of DNA's double helix, the first "test-tube" baby and even Dolly, the cloned sheep. Matthew Cobb, the author, also framed his discussion in the context of 17th century Holland, showing the implications of politics, religion, and wars with England and France. Because this book looked at only one aspect of science, it was able to give a very thorough discussion, including the intense rivalry between the three scientists about whom this story concerns. The book also highlighted the importance of not only being the first to discover something, but also being the first to publish findings. And for the first time, I also recommend that the reader follow the notes at the end of the book as these offer further insights.

I ejoyed this book immensely. The human struggle to understand reproduction and development surely represents one of our greatest intellectual endeavors, and Cobb's writing both captures the drama and makes it accessible to a lay audience. It is also an entertaining and astonishing story as we are led through ideas from spontaneous generation to preformation and pre-existence. But Cobb does much more than that: he recreates the social world of these scientists, laying bare their rivalries, their hardships, and idiosyncracies. The book is a remarkably rich historical study, which opens a window on early Modern Europe. There are also many philosophical asides about the nature of science and experiment, the role of metaphor, and the non cumulative nature of scientific progress. Cobb wears his vast erudition lightly. Lastly, Cobb is a wonderful and witty writer. Rakesh Bhandari