The Laughing Wolf

Book Review: The Genomics Age

This really should have gotten done before Christmas, but with the move and such it did get delayed. Actually, that is only part the reason: The Genomics Age by Gina Smith (ISBN 0-8114-0843-5) was interesting, and I took my time with it as a result.

You hear a great deal in the news and other hype about genomes, genes, and genomics. What has been sadly lacking, in my view, is a clear and fun overview of just exactly what it is that is being talked about. This book is a very good primer on the entire subject, and takes you from the basics to some discussions of the ethical and legal implications of what the biological revolution means to you. Yes, you, for this subject is affecting legal cases (DNA evidence), medical diagnosis, medical treatment, insurance, pre-natal decisions, and may alter the human race.

One of the delights in the book for me was a very simple and easy-to-understand definition of gene expression. It is a term oft tossed about that most people really don’t know and can’t explain. I remember vividly someone trying to come up with an explanation that a certain NASA Administrator could easily understand, and this book has it. Think of a light switch: if the gene is expressed, the switch for that gene is on. If it is not expressed, the gene is switched off.

It is a fun read in many ways, with lots of good quotes from scientists, ethics specialists, and others involved in genomics. My only complaint overall is that the design of the book was a bit distracting, and I wish the sidebar quotes had been different from the quotes in the text – it would have made a great way to emphasize points.

For all that it is science, there are ethical issues, legal issues, and a host of political issues. While I think the author’s opinions on the politics do come forth, I also have to admit that the book is one of the most balanced that I have come across. As a supporter of individual rights and liberty, I share the concerns of many over genetic privacy and related issues, and the book gives a start to understanding this major challenge.

If you like science, are interested in learning about genomics and how it stands to revolutionize law, medicine, and maybe even the human race, then this book is a very good start.

Disclaimer: I was provided this book as a review copy and did not pay for it.

LW