The Gene
An Intimate History
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The Gene
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Narrated by:
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Dennis Boutsikaris
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Written by:
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Siddhartha Mukherjee
About this listen
From the Pulitzer Prize-winning, best-selling author of The Emperor of All Maladies, a magnificent history of the gene and a response to the defining question of the future: What becomes of being human when we learn to "read" and "write" our own genetic information?
The extraordinary Siddhartha Mukherjee has written a biography of the gene as deft, brilliant, and illuminating as his extraordinarily successful biography of cancer. Weaving science, social history, and personal narrative to tell us the story of one of the most important conceptual breakthroughs of modern times, Mukherjee animates the quest to understand human heredity and its surprising influence on our lives, personalities, identities, fates, and choices.
Throughout the narrative, the story of Mukherjee's own family - with its tragic and bewildering history of mental illness - cuts like a bright red line, reminding us of the many questions that hang over our ability to translate the science of genetics from the laboratory to the real world. In superb prose and with an instinct for the dramatic scene, he describes the centuries of research and experimentation - from Aristotle and Pythagoras to Mendel and Darwin, from Boveri and Thomas Morgan to Crick, Watson, and Rosa Franklin, all the way through the revolutionary 21st-century innovators who mapped the human genome.
As The New Yorker said of The Emperor of All Maladies, "It's hard to think of many books for a general audience that have rendered any area of modern science and technology with such intelligence, accessibility, and compassion.... An extraordinary achievement."
A riveting, revelatory, and magisterial history of a scientific idea coming to life and an essential preparation for the moral complexity introduced by our ability to create or "write" the human genome, The Gene is a must-listen for everyone concerned about the definition and future of humanity. This is the most crucial science of our time, intimately explained by a master.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
©2016 Siddhartha Mukherjee, M.D. All rights reserved. (P)2016 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.You may also enjoy...
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The Song of the Cell
- An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human
- Written by: Siddhartha Mukherjee
- Narrated by: Dennis Boutsikaris
- Length: 16 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 31
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 26
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Story5 out of 5 stars 26
From the author of The Emperor of All Maladies, winner of the Pulitzer Prize, and The Gene, a #1 New York Times bestseller, comes his most spectacular book yet, an exploration of medicine and our radical new ability to manipulate cells. Rich with Mukherjee’s revelatory and exhilarating stories of scientists, doctors, and the patients whose lives may be saved by their work, The Song of the Cell is the third book in this extraordinary writer’s exploration of what it means to be human.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Another success
- By afsaneh on 2023-06-16
Written by: Siddhartha Mukherjee
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The Emperor of All Maladies
- A Biography of Cancer
- Written by: Siddhartha Mukherjee
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 22 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 171
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 142
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 143
The Emperor of All Maladies reveals the many faces of an iconic, shape-shifting disease that is the defining plague of our generation. The story of cancer is a story of human ingenuity, resilience, and perseverance but also of hubris, arrogance, paternalism, and misperception, all leveraged against a disease that, just three decades ago, was thought to be easily vanquished in an all-out "war against cancer".
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4 out of 5 stars
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A tough one to get through, but super worthy.
- By Dani on 2018-04-07
Written by: Siddhartha Mukherjee
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The Laws of Medicine
- Written by: Siddhartha Mukherjee
- Narrated by: Santino Fontana
- Length: 1 hr and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 12
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 11
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 11
Brimming with fascinating historical details and modern medical wonders, this important audiobook is a fascinating glimpse into the struggles and "eureka!" moments that people outside of the medical profession rarely see. Written with Dr. Mukherjee's signature eloquence and passionate prose, The Laws of Medicine is a critical book not just for those in the medical profession but for everyone who is moved to better understand how their health and well-being are being treated.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Problems identified but few solutions
- By P. on 2023-01-24
Written by: Siddhartha Mukherjee
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Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems
- Ptolemaic and Copernican
- Written by: Galileo Galilei, Albert Einstein - foreword, Stillman Drake - preface
- Narrated by: Brian Keating, Carlo Rovelli, Lucio Piccirillo, and others
- Length: 21 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall0 out of 5 stars 0
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Performance0 out of 5 stars 0
-
Story0 out of 5 stars 0
Galileo’s Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems compares the Copernican or Heliocentric system with the Ptolemaic or Peripatetic, system of the cosmos. Published in Florence in 1632, it resulted in him being tried before the Inquisition. Using the dialogue form, Galileo masterfully shows the truth of the Copernican system that the Earth revolves around the Sun. The Dialogue is one of the most important treatises ever written. A work of supreme clarity and accessibility, it remains as accessible now as when it was published.
Written by: Galileo Galilei, and others
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I Contain Multitudes
- The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life
- Written by: Ed Yong
- Narrated by: Charlie Anson
- Length: 9 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 69
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 55
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 54
Joining the ranks of popular science classics like The Botany of Desire and The Selfish Gene, a groundbreaking, wondrously informative, and vastly entertaining examination of the most significant revolution in biology since Darwin - a "microbe's-eye view" of the world that reveals a marvelous, radically reconceived picture of life on Earth.
-
4 out of 5 stars
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Author’s infectious passion
- By Amazon Customer on 2023-07-12
Written by: Ed Yong
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Our Mathematical Universe
- My Quest for the Ultimate Nature of Reality
- Written by: Max Tegmark
- Narrated by: Rob Shapiro
- Length: 15 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 92
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 78
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 79
Max Tegmark leads us on an astonishing journey through past, present and future, and through the physics, astronomy, and mathematics that are the foundation of his work, most particularly his hypothesis that our physical reality is a mathematical structure and his theory of the ultimate multiverse. In a dazzling combination of both popular and groundbreaking science, he not only helps us grasp his often mind-boggling theories, but he also shares with us some of the often surprising triumphs and disappointments that have shaped his life as a scientist.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A deeply engaging look at our universe(s).
- By Allan on 2018-07-01
Written by: Max Tegmark
-
The Song of the Cell
- An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human
- Written by: Siddhartha Mukherjee
- Narrated by: Dennis Boutsikaris
- Length: 16 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 31
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 26
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 26
From the author of The Emperor of All Maladies, winner of the Pulitzer Prize, and The Gene, a #1 New York Times bestseller, comes his most spectacular book yet, an exploration of medicine and our radical new ability to manipulate cells. Rich with Mukherjee’s revelatory and exhilarating stories of scientists, doctors, and the patients whose lives may be saved by their work, The Song of the Cell is the third book in this extraordinary writer’s exploration of what it means to be human.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Another success
- By afsaneh on 2023-06-16
Written by: Siddhartha Mukherjee
-
The Emperor of All Maladies
- A Biography of Cancer
- Written by: Siddhartha Mukherjee
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 22 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 171
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 142
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 143
The Emperor of All Maladies reveals the many faces of an iconic, shape-shifting disease that is the defining plague of our generation. The story of cancer is a story of human ingenuity, resilience, and perseverance but also of hubris, arrogance, paternalism, and misperception, all leveraged against a disease that, just three decades ago, was thought to be easily vanquished in an all-out "war against cancer".
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
A tough one to get through, but super worthy.
- By Dani on 2018-04-07
Written by: Siddhartha Mukherjee
-
The Laws of Medicine
- Written by: Siddhartha Mukherjee
- Narrated by: Santino Fontana
- Length: 1 hr and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 12
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 11
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 11
Brimming with fascinating historical details and modern medical wonders, this important audiobook is a fascinating glimpse into the struggles and "eureka!" moments that people outside of the medical profession rarely see. Written with Dr. Mukherjee's signature eloquence and passionate prose, The Laws of Medicine is a critical book not just for those in the medical profession but for everyone who is moved to better understand how their health and well-being are being treated.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Problems identified but few solutions
- By P. on 2023-01-24
Written by: Siddhartha Mukherjee
-
Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems
- Ptolemaic and Copernican
- Written by: Galileo Galilei, Albert Einstein - foreword, Stillman Drake - preface
- Narrated by: Brian Keating, Carlo Rovelli, Lucio Piccirillo, and others
- Length: 21 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall0 out of 5 stars 0
-
Performance0 out of 5 stars 0
-
Story0 out of 5 stars 0
Galileo’s Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems compares the Copernican or Heliocentric system with the Ptolemaic or Peripatetic, system of the cosmos. Published in Florence in 1632, it resulted in him being tried before the Inquisition. Using the dialogue form, Galileo masterfully shows the truth of the Copernican system that the Earth revolves around the Sun. The Dialogue is one of the most important treatises ever written. A work of supreme clarity and accessibility, it remains as accessible now as when it was published.
Written by: Galileo Galilei, and others
-
I Contain Multitudes
- The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life
- Written by: Ed Yong
- Narrated by: Charlie Anson
- Length: 9 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 69
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 55
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 54
Joining the ranks of popular science classics like The Botany of Desire and The Selfish Gene, a groundbreaking, wondrously informative, and vastly entertaining examination of the most significant revolution in biology since Darwin - a "microbe's-eye view" of the world that reveals a marvelous, radically reconceived picture of life on Earth.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Author’s infectious passion
- By Amazon Customer on 2023-07-12
Written by: Ed Yong
-
Our Mathematical Universe
- My Quest for the Ultimate Nature of Reality
- Written by: Max Tegmark
- Narrated by: Rob Shapiro
- Length: 15 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 92
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 78
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 79
Max Tegmark leads us on an astonishing journey through past, present and future, and through the physics, astronomy, and mathematics that are the foundation of his work, most particularly his hypothesis that our physical reality is a mathematical structure and his theory of the ultimate multiverse. In a dazzling combination of both popular and groundbreaking science, he not only helps us grasp his often mind-boggling theories, but he also shares with us some of the often surprising triumphs and disappointments that have shaped his life as a scientist.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A deeply engaging look at our universe(s).
- By Allan on 2018-07-01
Written by: Max Tegmark
What the critics say
What listeners say about The Gene
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- William R. Weatherall
- 2022-07-01
Satisfying
At the end of it, you will feel like you got a very well guided tour of the history of genetic research. It’s incredible that he made this book.
Narrator is excellent.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Aella
- 2024-09-06
Easy to understand complex ideas.
It was such an easy listen, finished it in only couple days. The history of our understanding of the gene is indeed packed with information, however the author is able to draw you in to this complex world - and the hours of listen makes you want to learn more about this field.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Damon Chouinard
- 2018-01-27
Brilliant
Loved the weaving of story, history, science and philosophy, I highly recommend this to anyone wanting to get a grasp of the field.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Richard Malthaner
- 2019-01-19
Thoracik Rick
compelling, engaging, and thought-provoking! a must-read for anyone hoping for the future. excellent narration. I truly enjoyed it!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Carolyn
- 2020-07-29
Superb read
This book is beautiful. It poetically describes the history of genetic discovery through the lives of scientists with relevance to modern people and the author’s own family as an example. Insightful enjoyable read.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2023-02-28
Thorough but accessible
In the best possible way it's like auditing a university biology course. The professor is amazing, the topics or incredibly interesting, the pace is measured so not to be overwhelming, and there's never any homework.
I very rarely read non-fiction but I'm very glad I picked this one up!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2021-08-07
I'm obessed with this book
I was self diagnosed with a propensity to obsess with books and The Gene reinforced this ideas like artful texts often do.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Galadriel
- 2021-06-23
Another masterpiece by Dr. Mukherjee
Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee summarizes the history, major milestones, and contemporary topics in the field of genetic research. In particular, he explains the history that surrounded the development of genetic research. He also explores the key players that have driven advances in the field. In addition, he elucidates key insights about the individual, social, and cultural implications of each stage of research in the field. Finally, he discusses the future of genetic research and their implications for humanity. The books is beautifully written. Dr. Mukherjee has produced another must read masterpiece for all learners in the field of scientific research.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Erin Tigchelaar
- 2021-11-03
Excellent way of getting through a dense book
This didn't have as much of an emotional impact on me as "The Emperor of All Maladies", and I felt it lagged or circled in spots, but it is an incredible synthesis of the history of genetics and the writing is, as always with Mukherjee, accessible and yet magisterial -- even with the occasional cheering moment of Dad humour (the puns like "give peas a chance"; the swing back to prioritizing genetic nature over environmental nurture described as "the return of the native"; and numerous plays on genes/jeans like "the cloth from which genes were cut"). Dennis Boutsikaris does a beautiful job of tackling the passages describing complex biological processes and his reading gives a warmth to the whole narrative. Even though I own the hardcover, I ordered the Audible copy to finally get through this book after listening to the sample of Boutsikaris. As in the author's book on cancer, the parts of the story I found most memorable were the personal stories of those suffering from heritable disorders, including Mukherjee's own family members. Highly recommended.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jordan Goldthorp
- 2024-03-30
Wonderful storytelling
Mukherjee is a spectacularly well-researched professional and masterful storyteller. He weaves medical history into a compelling narrative that is impossible to put down.
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