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Genetics For Dummies 2e
Reveals the connections between genetics and specific diseases Understand the science and the ethics behind genetics
Want to know more about genetics? This non-intimidating guide gets you up to speed on all the fundamentals. From dominant and recessive inherited traits to the DNA double-helix, you get clear explanations in easy-to-understand terms. Plus, you'll see how people are applying genetic science to fight disease, develop new products, solve crimes . . . and even clone cats.
Discover:
What geneticists do How traits are passed on How genetic counseling works The basics of cloning The role of DNA in forensics The scoop on the Human Genome Project
Want to know more about genetics? This non-intimidating guide gets you up to speed on all the fundamentals. From dominant and recessive inherited traits to the DNA double-helix, you get clear explanations in easy-to-understand terms. Plus, you'll see how people are applying genetic science to fight disease, develop new products, solve crimes . . . and even clone cats.
Discover:
What geneticists do How traits are passed on How genetic counseling works The basics of cloning The role of DNA in forensics The scoop on the Human Genome Project
384 pages, Paperback
First published September 2, 2005
259 people are currently reading
1189 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 24, 2023
No, I didn’t read this book. But I DID read Hub by Matt Shaw,,,, and it’s not in good reads so I’m logging this in it’s place to help keep track of how many books I’ve read this year so far lol
January 14, 2022
Having experience with "dummies" and "idiots" books from when they first came out, I held my breath on this one. Humor done very lightly is fine, or at least tolerable, but in the early days these books had to get a laugh out of every paragraph and that is an impediment to learning.
With relief I can report that the Tara Robinson's humor is exercised primarily in subject headings. Only very occasionally does she feel the need to get a smile in the text itself. Thank you, Tara!
I assume anyone reading this book would already know that there is nothing magical about our bodies. We are entirely physical beings just another form of matter in complex connection. You can think of us as quite intricate puzzles where each piece must fit precisely where it is needed at precisely the right time it needs to do so.
Atoms get together in molecules that can be quite small and simple, as in water where one atom of oxygen is stable when together with two of hydrogen. Or, a molecule can be quite extensive as is our DNA, the famous double helix within which is the sequence of four bases that determines, along with the environment, the structure of our bodies starting at conception.
Picture puzzles that we all know well are in two dimensions; they sit flat on a surface so that the picture they compose has only height and width. With molecules the third dimension of depth allows a complexity that is a marvel to see. Proteins, which are molecules, fold up into complicated shapes, shapes that are absolutely necessary for them to physically fit where they are needed to work and allow them to perform their very specific functions. Proteins can even walk as shown at this link: http://easternblot.net/2016/02/12/ima...
The marvel is that everything in each cell of all living things works in concert. Energy is brought in, proteins and organelles are put together and when no longer needed are torn down and it all goes on automatically. Of course there is the process of replication that got life going and it is fully explained. The processes run on their own all because of a sequence of activities that provide the right things at the right time with DNA being the source of instructions. Where do you and I come in? We just have to eat, drink, exercise our bodies and eliminate. Nature does the rest.
Think of it. All of this complexity has been built mindlessly by trial and error over billions of years from the first simple life on earth to the vast array of plants and animals we have today. What strikes me about it is that each of us, all plants and animals, have had no part in the design (at least until now). We come to life and for most of us our lifetimes are spent without ever having the faintest idea of how our bodies work at a cellular level. We, of course, fancy ourselves smart, but we would all be completely helpless to create a single cell from scratch, and a human body contains trillions of cells each doing what it is supposed to do day in and day out. That is the miracle of evolution over an amount of time that is far beyond our comprehension.
Genetics for Dummies is not just a description of process. It contains a brief history of genetics and gets into the ethics of genetic engineering. It lists websites to visit (though my 2005 edition lists some that are now dead), discusses cloning, forensic genetics, genetics counseling, tracing ancestry and more. You've probably heard of stem cells being taken from embryos. Here you will find out what makes stem cells so special - they are totipotent. I had never heard that word either, but now I know what it means along with a host of others that are carefully explained. There are many graphics that make the text clear and the pages have wide margins so you can grab a pencil and put in your own notes to help you remember key concepts.
A young person could easily discover a love of science from this book and no one will find it too difficult to understand. At several points the author will mention that scientists have yet to fully understand a topic, but in genetics things are happening so rapidly that much has undoubtedly become known since this book came out. Epigenetics, for example, is not mentioned but is now often in the news. For best educational value get the latest edition of this book.
REVIEW UPDATE (2021): I checked out a copy of the 3rd edition (2020) from my local library to see if there had been any changes from my 2005 edition. Other than some rearranging of the chapters and further toning down of the humor, the material is almost entirely the same. Epigenetics gets only a mention and that area is very important. After reading this book, with the knowledge gained you should read this article on epigenetics from the New York Times.
With relief I can report that the Tara Robinson's humor is exercised primarily in subject headings. Only very occasionally does she feel the need to get a smile in the text itself. Thank you, Tara!
I assume anyone reading this book would already know that there is nothing magical about our bodies. We are entirely physical beings just another form of matter in complex connection. You can think of us as quite intricate puzzles where each piece must fit precisely where it is needed at precisely the right time it needs to do so.
Atoms get together in molecules that can be quite small and simple, as in water where one atom of oxygen is stable when together with two of hydrogen. Or, a molecule can be quite extensive as is our DNA, the famous double helix within which is the sequence of four bases that determines, along with the environment, the structure of our bodies starting at conception.
Picture puzzles that we all know well are in two dimensions; they sit flat on a surface so that the picture they compose has only height and width. With molecules the third dimension of depth allows a complexity that is a marvel to see. Proteins, which are molecules, fold up into complicated shapes, shapes that are absolutely necessary for them to physically fit where they are needed to work and allow them to perform their very specific functions. Proteins can even walk as shown at this link: http://easternblot.net/2016/02/12/ima...
The marvel is that everything in each cell of all living things works in concert. Energy is brought in, proteins and organelles are put together and when no longer needed are torn down and it all goes on automatically. Of course there is the process of replication that got life going and it is fully explained. The processes run on their own all because of a sequence of activities that provide the right things at the right time with DNA being the source of instructions. Where do you and I come in? We just have to eat, drink, exercise our bodies and eliminate. Nature does the rest.
Think of it. All of this complexity has been built mindlessly by trial and error over billions of years from the first simple life on earth to the vast array of plants and animals we have today. What strikes me about it is that each of us, all plants and animals, have had no part in the design (at least until now). We come to life and for most of us our lifetimes are spent without ever having the faintest idea of how our bodies work at a cellular level. We, of course, fancy ourselves smart, but we would all be completely helpless to create a single cell from scratch, and a human body contains trillions of cells each doing what it is supposed to do day in and day out. That is the miracle of evolution over an amount of time that is far beyond our comprehension.
Genetics for Dummies is not just a description of process. It contains a brief history of genetics and gets into the ethics of genetic engineering. It lists websites to visit (though my 2005 edition lists some that are now dead), discusses cloning, forensic genetics, genetics counseling, tracing ancestry and more. You've probably heard of stem cells being taken from embryos. Here you will find out what makes stem cells so special - they are totipotent. I had never heard that word either, but now I know what it means along with a host of others that are carefully explained. There are many graphics that make the text clear and the pages have wide margins so you can grab a pencil and put in your own notes to help you remember key concepts.
A young person could easily discover a love of science from this book and no one will find it too difficult to understand. At several points the author will mention that scientists have yet to fully understand a topic, but in genetics things are happening so rapidly that much has undoubtedly become known since this book came out. Epigenetics, for example, is not mentioned but is now often in the news. For best educational value get the latest edition of this book.
REVIEW UPDATE (2021): I checked out a copy of the 3rd edition (2020) from my local library to see if there had been any changes from my 2005 edition. Other than some rearranging of the chapters and further toning down of the humor, the material is almost entirely the same. Epigenetics gets only a mention and that area is very important. After reading this book, with the knowledge gained you should read this article on epigenetics from the New York Times.
May 24, 2023
Following in the steps of a fellow splatterpunk lover / I read HUB and using this to mark it on good reads:)
HUB was a great book/ im sure this could be 🤷🏼♀️
HUB was a great book/ im sure this could be 🤷🏼♀️
February 19, 2017
This is another great for Dummies book. Genetics for Dummies is a very comprehensive book about the topic, and it is really understandable. Mrs Robinson makes a really good expert impression and can communicate it. All the questions I had or things I was not sure of are now answered. And the author is quite frank about what is not known to science yet and which ramifications this has. I can now progress to other literature about the topic and really understand what they are talking about. The book was mostly written for students from what I understood, but for me as an amateur enthusiast it was a great read. Thumbs up
November 28, 2007
This book is a really nice resource related to genetics and many aspects related to it (DNA, protiens, genetics and diseases ..). I have been interested in this topic, but finding it difficult to locate easy to understand information about it. This book provided me with the ability to do that.
November 12, 2008
Oh you know...the short cut for studying
September 1, 2009
A fine basic introduction, covering a reasonably broad set of bases. It's a basic introduction, and if that's what you're expecting, then it'll fit the bill.
Read
August 16, 2011This book was due back to the library before I finished reading it. I liked most of what I read though...
July 31, 2018
I learned a lot about genetics, but I found this incredibly difficult to read. Not just because of the subject matter, but more so that every other sentence, (had a sentence in parentheses telling you to refer to another chapter to learn more about the topic that you're reading about right now). This continued all throughout the book, and was painful. That being said, like I mentioned earlier, I did learn a lot about genetics, but mostly just realized how much I truly don't know. ...so I better keep on reading.
January 31, 2022
This is a nice overview of genetics, but at times I thought I should trade this for "Genetics for Morons" because there is so much information and genetics is such a complicated subject. One shortcoming I noticed is that while there are many charts and diagrams, the explanations of them were cursory, as if the chart or diagrams were obvious -- mostly they weren't. Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed the book.
P.S. I read the trade paperback version; an e-book would be a more difficult read because there are many times one must flip back to other chapters and/or diagrams.
P.S. I read the trade paperback version; an e-book would be a more difficult read because there are many times one must flip back to other chapters and/or diagrams.
June 6, 2023
I found this 2nd Ed to be a well explained intro to genetics. Having taken genetics with a professor who wanted to make learning it a miserable experience and a weed out class— this was way more fun. I recommend reading Genetics for Dummies before taking genetics if you think you’re going to have a professor like this.
I found this to be a wonderful refresher and I learned a lot. My main complaint is that some figures in my edition are labeled weird and there could have been better visuals.
I found this to be a wonderful refresher and I learned a lot. My main complaint is that some figures in my edition are labeled weird and there could have been better visuals.
January 4, 2021
Genetics for Dummies as a Guide
Genetics for Dummies is an easy to understand guide to genetics from a biological view. It exposes many of the professions related to the genetic field and expands on the role of genetics. The scientific models are accurate, clear, and complete. I would say it a must read for any medical field engineers.
Genetics for Dummies is an easy to understand guide to genetics from a biological view. It exposes many of the professions related to the genetic field and expands on the role of genetics. The scientific models are accurate, clear, and complete. I would say it a must read for any medical field engineers.
May 24, 2017
Okay
Not really into science so it is hard to give a fair review. However! I can say the book is informative but further investigation should be warranted. Read this book then read something more exhaustive.
Not really into science so it is hard to give a fair review. However! I can say the book is informative but further investigation should be warranted. Read this book then read something more exhaustive.
December 14, 2017
A good book to understand the very basics of genetics.
November 11, 2020
A great primer for anyone wanting to gain an understanding of genetic processes. Readable and understandable for the layman.
June 24, 2013
The book I read to research this post was Genetics for Dummies by Tara Rodden Robinson which is a very good book which I bought from kindle. This book is a good introduction to this subject and while some of it was a bit beyond my grasp it was nonetheless an interesting book. DNA was only discovered in the 1950's but genetics has come a long way since then. Many of the great genetic discoveries were done with living things like fruit flies and plants. Mendel grew plants all his life and cross pollinated them and kept records. In his lifetime he had no idea how important his discoveries were. His book was published after his death. DNA is made up of recessive and dominant genes which combine in such a way that in some characterisics like a mother having twins they can even skip a generation. In the case of a genetic illness a person with a mild illness can combine their genes with someone else also with a mild form and produce a severe form of it in someone. Some animals like rats have very diverse DNA but others like cheetahs have DNA so similiar so can do a skin graft from one animal to another without any problems. If a disease of epidemic proportions wiped out one cheetah all would probably be at great risk. If human DNA was laid end to end it would be 6 feet long and contains 100 trillion cells in its length. A recent development in genetics has been its use in solving crime. Any kind of body fluid can be traced back to its owner but they need a suspect or database in order to find the culprit. Another recent development has been the discovery that certain viruses can make you much more susceptible to illnesses like breast cancer.
Read
August 6, 2011I've always been mystified by just how the process of creating a new life actually happens. How are we created by our parents (not the physical process you understand: with two kids of my own I think I've worked that one out) and how do we inherit the characteristics that we do? Why don't we look exactly like one or other of them but a little bit like both and little bit like neither? Most especially, how and why do we inherit the defects that often affect us, sometimes fatally, when neither of our parents suffer from the same disorder?
If you want a straight-forward and eminently understandable explanation of all of these questions then this is most certainly the book for you. Robinson explains, in terms that anyone should be able to understand, the way in which the cells of our body divide and especially how the division of our sex cells (sperm and eggs) differs crucially from the way in which all other cells divide. It's this special division and the way that it mixes to gether the DNA of our parents that makes us what and who we are. It can also be why we inherit disorders of our DNA that results in disabling conditions like Cystic Fibrosis.
Robinson covers not just the chemistry of our cells but also how science is using its discoveries of the processes of DNA chemistry to try to provide treatments that may lead to the correction of these awful disorders.
Most
If you want a straight-forward and eminently understandable explanation of all of these questions then this is most certainly the book for you. Robinson explains, in terms that anyone should be able to understand, the way in which the cells of our body divide and especially how the division of our sex cells (sperm and eggs) differs crucially from the way in which all other cells divide. It's this special division and the way that it mixes to gether the DNA of our parents that makes us what and who we are. It can also be why we inherit disorders of our DNA that results in disabling conditions like Cystic Fibrosis.
Robinson covers not just the chemistry of our cells but also how science is using its discoveries of the processes of DNA chemistry to try to provide treatments that may lead to the correction of these awful disorders.
Most
August 29, 2020
I got this book because I found myself, as a software engineer, working with genomics data and wanted some context so that I could understand the domain language a bit better without committing to a deeper learning path (more intense book or an online course).
Bits of the book were a refresher of things I learned in high school -- but forgot --- and a few chapters were specifically targeted at my business domain. I found this to be a helpful orientation book, and now feel like I can decide what, if, and when I need to learn more about the subject. This is an approachable read, but not superficial. Worth a look if you wanted to get (re) acquainted with genetics and you are not yet sure what areas you want to explore deeply.
Bits of the book were a refresher of things I learned in high school -- but forgot --- and a few chapters were specifically targeted at my business domain. I found this to be a helpful orientation book, and now feel like I can decide what, if, and when I need to learn more about the subject. This is an approachable read, but not superficial. Worth a look if you wanted to get (re) acquainted with genetics and you are not yet sure what areas you want to explore deeply.
December 6, 2016
I haven't read any of this series before because... Well. They don't really seem like quality books. But at least in this case my own snobby ideas about proper science books were challenged. Some of the jokes were bit tired, but I can forgive that.
I was really struggling with the basics of genetics, so in my desperation I decided to try this and it actually worked. Things are very clearly explained and I grasped several concepts that had previously been really difficult to understand. I think I even got my head around the chemical structures of DNA, which is quite impressive considering that my first reaction towards chemistry has always been fear and confusion.
I was really struggling with the basics of genetics, so in my desperation I decided to try this and it actually worked. Things are very clearly explained and I grasped several concepts that had previously been really difficult to understand. I think I even got my head around the chemical structures of DNA, which is quite impressive considering that my first reaction towards chemistry has always been fear and confusion.
February 1, 2008
Save my ass in genetics
March 24, 2011
I read a good portion of this, and skimmed the rest. I think it's a good introduction to genetics.
April 23, 2015
One of the best books to start with the basics of Genetics. Gives in-depth information about the basic principles in genetics.
August 7, 2016
Chapter nine was a bit hard to understand, but sometimes that's to be expected with a complicated topic.
March 22, 2021
Excellent book for beginners to grasp the complexity of genetics dicipline.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews