General Reading

Level indicators:

1 = suitable for general public

2 = suitable for high school students

3 = useful for faculty

4 = useful for advanced faculty

Andrews, Lori B., et al., eds. Assessing Genetic Risks: Implications for Health and Social Policy. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1994. This report by the Committee on Assessing Genetic Risks addresses the many phases of genetic testing and its impact on patients, providers, and laboratories. (1)

Bains, William. Genetic Engineering for Almost Everybody. New York, NY: Viking Penguin, 1990. Provides accessible information about the development of genetics, molecular biology, and decoding DNA. (1)

Balkwill, Fran. Amazing Schemes Within Your Genes. Cold Spring Harbor, NY: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1993.

----------. Cells Are Us. Cold Spring Harbor, NY: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1990.

----------. Cell Wars. Cold Spring Harbor, NY: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1990.

----------. DNA is Here to Stay. Cold Spring Harbor, NY: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1992.

Cartoon illustrations in all four books support explanations of scientific concepts; suitable for reading aloud to students, as well as for students' use. (1, 2)

Bishop, Jerry E. and Waldholz, Michael. Genome: The Story of the Most Astonishing Scientific Adventure of Our Time­The Attempt to Map All the Genes in the Human Body. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster, 1990. Highlights major events leading up to our present state of genetic exploration and biotechnology. Includes examples of personal challenge and achievement as well as a good feeling for the personal and professional challenges involved in scientific research. (1-3)

Cavalieri, Liebe F. The Double-Edged Helix: Science in the Real World. New York, NY: Columbia University Press, 1981. A biochemist's critical view of the long-range consequences of recombinant DNA technology, and, more generally, of what he sees as the growing subservience of science to technology. (1)

Cook-Deegan, Robert. The Gene Wars: Science, Politics, and the Human Genome. New York, NY: W.W. Norton, 1994. A firsthand look at the politics and science behind the Human Genome project. (1)

Davis, Bernard D., ed. The Genetic Revolution: Scientific Prospects and Public Perceptions. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1991. This collection of essays examines molecular genetics, the practical applications of biotechnology, its legal implications, benefits, and harmful consequences. (1)

Duster, Troy. Backdoor to Eugenics. New York, NY: Routledge, 1990. This book focuses on ethical and social issues. (1-4)

Edey, Maitland A. and Johanson, Donald C. Blueprints: Solving the Mystery of Evolution. New York, NY: Viking Penguin, 1990. A history of genetic and evolutionary theory. (1-4)

Gonick, Larry and Wheelis, Mark. The Cartoon Guide to Genetics. rev. ed. New York, NY: HarperCollins Perennial, 1991. Cartoons for all ages. Some illustrations are helpful for class explanations of concepts. (1-3)

Grobstein, Clifford. A Double Image of the Double Helix: The Recombinant-DNA Debate. New York, NY: W.H. Freeman, 1979. Recounts the background and significance of the controversy over recombinant DNA research. Illustrates the scientific and social issues generated and how they were addressed early in the history of recombinant DNA. (1-4)

Hall, Stephen S. Invisible Frontiers; The Race to Synthesize a Human Gene. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Press, 1988. An inside view for the average reader on the science, politics, and pitfalls of the race to clone the gene for insulin. This well-researched account describes molecular biology in action, scientific competition, the development of NIH's recombinant DNA committee, and the birth of the first biotechnology company, Genentech, Inc. (1)

Herskowitz, Joel and Herskowitz, Ira. Double Talking Helix Blues. Cold Spring Harbor, NY: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 1993. This tape-book package, illustrated by Judy Cuddihy, provides a unique way of learning about DNA and genes and how they work. Interesting and fun for young people and adults who are curious about how they and their relatives became the unique individuals they are. (1, 2)

Judson, Horace F. The Eighth Day of Creation: The Makers of the Revolution in Biology. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 1979. A science writer's comprehensive and accessible history of the research leading to the elucidation of the structure of DNA, the deciphering of the genetic code, and the structure and function of proteins. (1-4)

Kevles, Daniel J. and Hood, Leroy, eds. The Code of Codes: Scientific and Social Issues in the Human Genome Project. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1992. An anthology of essays on the potential scientific and medical triumphs and social and ethical implications of the Human Genome Project. (2, 3)

Levine, Joseph and Suzuki, David. The Secret of Life: Redesigning the Living World. Boston, MA: WGBH Educational Foundation, 1993. In this companion book to the PBS series of the same name, the authors expound upon the most important areas of the growing field of molecular biology. (1)

Los Alamos National Laboratory. The Human Genome Project. Los Alamos Science. Vol. 20, 1992. This is a nicely illustrated overview of The Human Genome Project from the perspective of Los Alamos National Laboratory. It provides an excellent review of genetics and molecular genetics as well as a very thorough overview of genome mapping. The typography and illustrations make this accessible to high school students. (2-3).

McCarty, Maclyn. The Transforming Principle: Discovering that Genes are Made of DNA. New York, NY: W.W. Norton, 1985. An engaging description of the crucial experiments that established DNA as the genetic material. (1)

Neubauer, Peter B. Nature's Thumbprint: The New Genetics of Personality. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1990. A look at the nature-nurture-behavior-personality controversy. (1-3)

Recombinant DNA: Readings from Scientific American. New York, NY: W.H. Freeman, 1978. Thirteen articles from Scientific American that describe major scientific discoveries basic to recombinant DNA. Includes the 1975 article by Stanley Cohen describing how recombinant molecules were first produced. Includes bibliography. (3, 4)

Shapiro, Robert. The Human Blueprint: The Race to Unlock the Secrets of Our Genetic Code. New York, NY: Bantam Books, 1992. A "reader-friendly" account by a professor of chemistry of the historical background, scope, and social meaning of the Human Genome Project. (1)

Suzuki, David and Knudtson, Peter. Genethics: The Clash Between the New Genetics and Human Values. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1989. (1-4)

Watson, James D. and Crick, Francis H.C. "Molecular Structure of Nucleic Acids: A Structure of Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid." Nature 171 (1953). This is the article that set the foundation for all of molecular genetics. Probably the single most important page in the history of biology. (2-4)

Watson, James D. and Tooze, John. The DNA Story: A Documentary History of Gene Cloning. New York, NY: W.H. Freeman, 1981. A history of gene cloning told through scientific papers, correspondence, newspaper articles, cartoons, and so on. (1-3)

Watson, James D. et al. Recombinant DNA. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Scientific American Books, 1992. Highly readable, accessible book, covering everything from the very basics of molecular biology to the latest, ground-breaking applications of recombinant DNA technology. An excellent resource for the teacher with some molecular biology background as well as the advanced student. (2-4)

Wills, Christopher. Exons, Introns and Talking Genes: The Science Behind the Human Genome Project. New York, NY: Basic Books, 1991. A scientist's view of the human genome project. Includes stories about the scientists involved in the project, the biomedical breakthroughs, and the implications of decoding the genome. (2)

Biographies

Resource Book Index: On Becoming a Scientist

Winding Your Way Through DNA Resource Book Index

Winding Your Way Through DNA Lectures Index

About Biotech Index