The Violinist's Thumb
And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code

I'm going to be honest and tell you the entire reason I picked up The Violinist's Thumb by Sam Kean is not because I'm interested in biology or DNA or anything to do with science really - it's because the name Paganini drew me in. I've never been the type of girl to understand science. The closest I......more

What I learned from reading Sam Kean’s The Violinist’s Thumb and Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code (Little, Brown and Company, 2012): I should never eat polar bear liver—unless I want my skin to peel off from foot to head. My cats’ presence soothes me because th......more

This is a very good, and entertaining survey of the history of genetics. I learned a great deal about DNA, how it works, and how scientists are trying to unravel its secrets. Every chapter contains some fascinating facts, histories, and insights. For example, Kean makes analogies between music, lingu......more

'The Violinist's Thumb' is a perfect read for girding up one's loins for holiday dinners where lots of family members plan to attend. Not only are the stories the author relates of the foibles and craziness of world-famous scientists who were involved in knowledge about DNA give one preparation for......more

Genes are at the heart of this book, and the author just happens to have parents named Gene and Jean (last name Kean), so this topic is in his... well, you get it. Sam Kean is one of my favorite authors, deftly explaining scientific concepts in the context of the fascinating figures who first brough......more