Thanks to Anna Balasi if Little Brown and Company, I am giving away 2 copies of The Violinist’s Thumb.
Book Description:
There’s enough DNA in a single cell to stretch six feet tall, and enough DNA in our bodies to stretch almost to the moon. And within this DNA are stories that have been buried for millions of years–stories that can be used to solve historical mysteries about humans, and tell of our peculiar rise on earth.
In THE VIOLINIST’S THUMB, Sam Kean uses the forensic traces in our DNA to illuminate how humans evolved from primordial muck to the most dominant species on the planet, how studying language, art, and history can reveal the scientific workings of DNA–and vice-versa, and how the human line almost went extinct, twice, causing us to be more closely related than any other species.
There are genes to explain crazy cat ladies, a love of reckless activities, and a talent for the violin; genes that could allow someone to survive in the arctic. THE VIOLINIST’S THUMB uses genes to reveal so much about our past, and leaves us wondering if and how scientists will manipulate DNA to alter our species’ future.
SAM KEAN is a writer in Washington, DC. His work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Mental Floss, Slate, the New York Post, and New Scientist. IN 2009 he was a runner-up for the National Association of Science Writers’ Evert Clark/ Seth Payne Award for best science writer under the age of thirty, and he was a Middlebury Environmental Journalism fellow. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller THE DISAPPEARING SPOON.
Thanks for giveaway.
I would enjoy this fascinating book. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
the field of genetics is producing some fascinating results. Thank you for the giveaway.
The Disappearing Spoon was so interesting! I’d love to also read this one.
PMNSL95 at triad dot rr dot com
The Disappearing Spoon was good. I’d like to read this, too, and then pass it on to my grandchildren.
Sounds very interesting. Thanks for the giveaway.
mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com
I really like learning about DNA–this book kinda reminds me of the film GATTACA.
I don’t play the violin, but I play the viola…and the synopsis has me super curious how DNA ties into this!
I checked this out on the ‘new’ table at B&N last night. It looks fascinating and understandable for the non-science types! Thanks for the info and chance to win!
Sounds like an interesting book!
Sounds like a book I would be interested in reading. Thanks for having the giveaway.
ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net
I love books like this! Informative yet fun. Thanks for the chance to win it!