- Hardcover: 320 pages
- Publisher: HarperCollins; First Edition, first printing edition (3 May 2004)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0002571137
- ISBN-13: 978-0002571135
- Product Dimensions: 22 x 14 x 4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
347,243 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #52 in Books > Science & Nature > Biological Sciences > Genetics > Human
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
'Once, people with disfiguring or bizarre mutations were thought monstrous. Now they give vital clues to the dance of genes during the body's growth. Armand Leroi combines meticulous historical
research, brand-new genetic understanding and consummate skill with words to tell an absorbing tale' Matt Ridley
'Mutants thrills and repels and informs us of the delicacy and wonder of growth and development. It is written with great grace' Richard Fortey
'An exquisitely life-enhancing book…Read it and marvel' Peter Little, Nature
'Mutants is much more than a description of the many damaged or unusual forms of human beings that live now and have existed in the past. It is a fun read, being a spicy mix of history, developmental biology and genetics that does the trick of being both entertaining and educational.’ Peter Lawrence, author of The Making of a Fly
Matt Ridley, Author of Genome
'...Armand Leroi combines meticulous historical research, brand-new genetic understanding and consummate skill with words to tell an absorbing tale'
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Having seen the programmes (Human mutants - Channel 4) by Armand Marie Leroi, I was compelled to find out more about the development of humans and how much has been learned from genetic mutations. This book contains everything from the series and more.
Anyone who is amazed by the miracle of life would appreciate the scientific explanations of how an embryo develops. It explains everything from how organs come to be where they are in the body (eg. how do the molecules know which side is the left?)to how hands are developed. The main thing that struck me was how we really are all equal in that everyone has mutations- its just that some are more apparent than others.
This really is one book that everyone should read - after all it makes sense that we should all know how we are what we are.
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book is a well-written account of mutants and mutation, in which the author draws not only on his considerable scientific knowledge, but also illustrates his points very interestingly using vignettes from the history of the study of mutants. He deals with conjoined twins, the Elephant Man, pituitary abnormalities, the castrati etc. in a very readable but precise and concise manner. I found the detail about French research of particular interest, as few authors would have the necessary language skills to draw on this area of the subject.
The startling and humble conclusion is that we are all mutants to a greater or lesser extent. Mercifully, most of us don't suffer any severe problems because of it.
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
From Aboriginies to Zulus, every society through the ages has seen mutations. Many have been feared, hidden away and forgotten about, or, conversely, placed on public display for ridicule and unethical study.
This book pulls away the veil of unease and exposes the genetic reasons for many mutations such as those suffered by the infamous James Merrick (the Elephant Man), Eng and Chang (conjoined twins), Uther Hermann (the Armless Fiddler) and Tognina Gonsalvus (the Hairy Child). Along the way acquainting us with euonymously named genes and proteins such as "Sonic the Hedgehog", "Scaramanda" and "Cerberus".
The amazing detail which the book goes into regarding the development of an embryo is abosorbing and wonderous, and so to is the history and development of theories about these mutations.
With many pictures, resources, and familiar examples this book is at times repulsive but a truly compelling read and very, very interesting.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Readable and Informative.
An author who has the ability to clearly illustrate, what can in parts be fairly difficult concepts for the layman. Read more
Published 4 months ago by G. Hodgson
Weirdness tells us more than normality
A fascinating , but never prurient, journey in which the author reveals how genetic and phenotypic mutations tell us a huge amount about our evolutionary history. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Mr. Luke Stephens
A dazzling, informative and humane book
This is an enlightening and enlightened book, which uses the wonder of science to fulfil the goal of fairytale: revealing the astonishing beauty within those who have so often been... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Melmoth
mutants
This book is more of a medical text than a non fiction book It deals with not only mutants -- a change in chromosomes or genes of a cell which may affect the structure and... Read more
Published on 15 Oct 2009 by G. I. Forbes
Decent science book on evo-devo
This one is all about how phenotypic mutations help us understand what's going on in genetics and embryology, so it covers lots of freakish stuff like hairy faces, extra fingers,... Read more
Published on 7 July 2009 by Jason Mills
Where are the diagrams?
Where are the diagrams? Within this book there are some quite complicated descriptions - e.g. of the developing foetus or cellular machinery - that would have benefited greatly... Read more
Published on 27 Oct 2006 by SAP
Marvellous mutants
Bizarre mutants have always been the mainstay of the sideshow. This book explains where they come from and what went wrong (developmentally speaking). Read more
Published on 16 Sep 2004 by G. Rutter
Great book, great English
I was as impressed with the style of writing of this book as I was with its content. It makes such a change to read a scientific text (albeit of the slightly "popular" gendre)... Read more
Published on 6 Sep 2004 by Dr. John P. Yardley
Fantastic
Leroi's sumptious writing manner deals effortlessly with the ostensibly confusing subject matter of mutant gene trends. Read more
Published on 21 July 2004 by P. Bennett
Mutants review
Like a contemporary Faust, Leroi is striving to explore the secrets of human genesis, human race and beauty. Read more
Published on 7 Mar 2004 by Katerina Ertsou
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