The Violinist's Thumb by Sam Kean
In The Disappearing Spoon, bestselling author Sam Kean unlocked the mysteries of the periodic table. In The Violinist's Thumb, he explores the wonders of the magical building block of life: DNA.
There are genes to explain crazy cat ladies, why other people have no fingerprints, and why some people survive nuclear bombs. Genes illuminate everything from JFK's bronze skin (it wasn't a tan) to Einstein's genius. They prove that Neanderthals and humans bred thousands of years more recently than any of us would feel comfortable thinking. They can even allow some people, because of the exceptional flexibility of their thumbs and fingers, to become truly singular violinists.
Kean's vibrant storytelling once again makes science entertaining, explaining human history and whimsy while showing how DNA will influence our species' future.
Sam Kean is the author of The Story of the Dueling Neurosurgeons, The Disappearing Spoon, and The Violinist's Thumb, all of which were selected top scientific books of the year by Amazon. The Disappearing Spoon was a finalist for the Royal Society of London's book of the year award in 2010, while The Violinist's Thumb and The Story of the Dueling Neurosurgeons were both shortlisted for the PEN/E.O. Wilson Award. In 2013 and 2015, he won the Wilson Award for poetic science writing, as well as the AAAS/Subaru Prize. His work has been featured on NPR's Radiolab, All Things Considered, and Fresh Air, as well as in The Best American Nature and Science Writing, the Atlantic Monthly, the New York Times magazine, Psychology Today, Slate, Mental Floss, and other publications.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780316182331 |
| ISBN 10 | 0316182338 |
| Title | The Violinist's Thumb |
| Author | Sam Kean |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Back Bay Books |
| Year published | 2013-07-16 |
| Number of pages | 432 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |