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Gregor Mendel: Planting the Seeds of Genetics
Considered one of the greatest scientists in history, Gregor Mendel was the first person to map the characteristics of a living thing’s successive generations, thus forming the foundation of modern genetic science. In Gregor Mendel , distinguished novelist and biologist Simon Mawer outlines Mendel’s groundbreaking research and traces his intellectual legacy from his discoveries in the mid-19th century to the present.
In an engaging narrative enhanced by beautiful illustrations, Mawer details Mendel’s life and work, from his experimentation with garden peas through his subsequent findings about heredity and genetic traits. Mawer also highlights the scientific work built on Mendel’s breakthroughs, including the discovery of the DNA molecule by scientists Watson and Crick in the 1950s, the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003, and the advances in genetics that continue today.
In an engaging narrative enhanced by beautiful illustrations, Mawer details Mendel’s life and work, from his experimentation with garden peas through his subsequent findings about heredity and genetic traits. Mawer also highlights the scientific work built on Mendel’s breakthroughs, including the discovery of the DNA molecule by scientists Watson and Crick in the 1950s, the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003, and the advances in genetics that continue today.
176 pages, Hardcover
Published September 1, 2006
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About the author
Simon Mawer
39 books341 followersSimon Mawer was a British author who lived in Italy.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
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January 23, 2016Regarding the scientific life of Gregor Mendel, there 19s not much to tell. He grew up desperately poor and sought the priesthood to escape the robata system of farming. After carrying out his now famous experiments, the significance of which not even the best scientific minds of the day could grasp, he became abbot of the St. Thomas friary, a position whose demands prevented further scientific endeavors.
Mawer tells Mendel 19s story and gives the details, but only enough to give us a sense of Mendel the scientist. A biologist himself, Mawer elaborates about the experiments but he does not stop there. He takes the reader forward in time to when Mendel 19s work is rediscovered, and traces the development of Genetics as a field of study to the present day. The book is as much a scientific account as it is biographical.
Many of the details from Mendel 19s life Mawer takes from other biographers whose work focus exclusively and more extensively on his life, particularly Iltis. (Mawer does correct Iltis and just about everyone else by describing Mendel as a friar and not as a monk, which makes a whole lot more sense.) In this sense, the book is as much about Mendel 19s discovery as it is about his life.
Mendel lived during the rise of Materialism throughout an increasingly unstable Europe not long after the French Revolution. By Mawer 19s account, Mendel became a priest to escape poverty, ending up in a very pleasant and comfortable life living and teaching at St. Thomas Abbey in the present day Czech Republic. He portrays the abbey as very liberal politically and speaks little of any spirituality. We see very little of this side of Mendel in this book, and Mawer says there is little of it to be found in what is extant of his writings. (His personal papers were customarily burned by the brothers just after his burial.)
Something I found of particular interest is the story of the forty offprints of his manuscript Experiments in Plant Hybridization that Mendel sent out. Of these forty only seven have been recovered, the other thirty-three likely lost forever. As was typical, they were uncut when they were sent and so had to be cut open in order to read them; two of the seven copies found were uncut.
The oversized hardcover edition is very nice because of the large reproductions of naturalist drawings and the antique photographs of people, places, and scientific equipment. It makes an excellent supplement for high school students studying genetics because of the amount and level of the scientific and historical detail in it. Overall, Gregor Mendel: Planting the Seeds of Genetics is a fulfillment of Mendel 19s words regarding his experiments shortly before his death, 1CMy time will come. 1D
Mawer tells Mendel 19s story and gives the details, but only enough to give us a sense of Mendel the scientist. A biologist himself, Mawer elaborates about the experiments but he does not stop there. He takes the reader forward in time to when Mendel 19s work is rediscovered, and traces the development of Genetics as a field of study to the present day. The book is as much a scientific account as it is biographical.
Many of the details from Mendel 19s life Mawer takes from other biographers whose work focus exclusively and more extensively on his life, particularly Iltis. (Mawer does correct Iltis and just about everyone else by describing Mendel as a friar and not as a monk, which makes a whole lot more sense.) In this sense, the book is as much about Mendel 19s discovery as it is about his life.
Mendel lived during the rise of Materialism throughout an increasingly unstable Europe not long after the French Revolution. By Mawer 19s account, Mendel became a priest to escape poverty, ending up in a very pleasant and comfortable life living and teaching at St. Thomas Abbey in the present day Czech Republic. He portrays the abbey as very liberal politically and speaks little of any spirituality. We see very little of this side of Mendel in this book, and Mawer says there is little of it to be found in what is extant of his writings. (His personal papers were customarily burned by the brothers just after his burial.)
Something I found of particular interest is the story of the forty offprints of his manuscript Experiments in Plant Hybridization that Mendel sent out. Of these forty only seven have been recovered, the other thirty-three likely lost forever. As was typical, they were uncut when they were sent and so had to be cut open in order to read them; two of the seven copies found were uncut.
The oversized hardcover edition is very nice because of the large reproductions of naturalist drawings and the antique photographs of people, places, and scientific equipment. It makes an excellent supplement for high school students studying genetics because of the amount and level of the scientific and historical detail in it. Overall, Gregor Mendel: Planting the Seeds of Genetics is a fulfillment of Mendel 19s words regarding his experiments shortly before his death, 1CMy time will come. 1D
August 25, 2022
The book is lovely. Lovely critical language. Mendel deserves more recognition in our modern history. As my professor said: Mendel sees Darwin, but Darwin can’t
see Mendel, which is very true
see Mendel, which is very true
February 10, 2018
A bit dry. I had hoped for something more engaging.
December 23, 2013
This book is definitely for someone who has little background in the early history of genetics but would like to learn more. The author adds a personal touch to his writing which makes the topic much more interesting than it would be otherwise. Although the book is entitled "Gregor Mendel", only the first half is devoted to his contributions. The remainder of the book is a quick tour of the history of genetics. One of my colleagues in the biology department loaned me the book since I teach our general genetics course. I enjoyed the section on Mendel because of the author's way of introducing him not only as a scientist but as a human with his own unique imperfections. The full color and historical illustrations throughout the book also add to the enjoyment. Nevertheless, the second half of the book adds almost nothing to what a general textbook in genetics would present. For those with little background in the science of genetics, this book would make an excellent introduction but for those with a solid science background, it adds little to the knowledge base.
June 8, 2010
I picked this book up at Half-Price because it had really nice illustrations and tables of data about peas. It was originally published to accompany a museum exhibition and so is geared towards the layperson, which suits me fine since I know nothing about biology or genetics. The first two-thirds of the book focus on Mendel and his pea experiments leading up to the idea of dominant and recessive inherited traits. The last third of the book wanders over the history of genetics after Mendel, sketching brief portraits of the key players involved. It is nice as a broad overview, but not very deep.
May 9, 2011
This is the companion book about Gregor Mendel and the history of science of genetics to an exhibit on the subject by the Field Museum. Brief, with detailed descriptions on the specifics in genetics, this book is well-illustrated with color plates from the period, and details Mendel's life in the Austro-Hungarian empire (modern day Czech Republic).
December 22, 2011
Excellent book on not only Gregor Mendel but also genetics and where it is going today. This book, along with "Monk in the Garden" will prepare you for the world of Darwin and the oversight of the scientific community regarding Mendel during the mid to late 1800s.
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July 4, 2013Beautifully executed gem of a book. Great deal of insights into much underappreciated genius of his time
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews