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List Price: £14.99
Our Price: £8.66
Author:
Steve Jones
By Flamingo
 Fantastic book, 2008-02-20
I have read this book 8 years ag and this is the second time I bought it, It makes science fun and still remains informative.
List Price: £34.99
Our Price: £21.85
Author:
Richard M Twyman, Sandy B Primrose
By WileyBlackwell
 Generally good - but diagrams are not always clear, 2006-10-14
This book is divided into 4 sections:
1. Fundamental Techniques of Gene Manipulation
2. Manipulating DNA in microbes, plants and animals
3. Genome Analysis, Genomics and Beyond
4. Applications of Gene manipulation and Genomics
The basics seem to be covered well in part 1. A lot of the background knowledge to gene cloning: restriction endonucleases, plasmid and phage vector biology, gene cloning strategies, PCR, Southern Blotting, and other techniques - has been covered fairly well for the last decade in other text books (see T A Brown's books). However, the explanation and diagrams for microarrays (a newer technique) could be improved, because I didn't find them entirely helpful in understanding the method of their use in sequencing. The diagrams did not seem adequately labelled in this case, and the key seemed to reference colours which did not exist (the book is printed in black and shades of pink).
I bought this mainly to get update on newer techniques which aren't in my textbooks from when I was an undergraduate several years ago. In particular genome analysis - a field that has expanded rapidly in the past 5-6 years since the human genome was sequenced (and genomes of other species). For this, it is generally good, but I was disappointed with some explanations of techniques I was completely unfamiliar with. I think the design of the diagrams and the keys for them are ambiguous in a couple of cases.
I haven't yet read any chapters in Parts 2 and 4. However the rest of the book is quite good - additionally it contains lots of useful references, an abbreviations list, suggested websites for databases and the cross-referencing within the book itself is helpful. It is missing a glossary however, and perhaps full colour diagrams would help in some cases.
List Price: £27.50
Our Price: £21.19
Author:
Dorothy Gennard
By WileyBlackwell
The best introduction to the subject i have seen , 2007-05-03
As a student that recently compleated a masters in forensic science, in which my thesis was an entomology based practical, i have read most books on the subject from the memoirs of Dr Zak and Dr Goff, to Bryd and Castner, Greenberg and Kunich as well and Smiths "mannual" and Catts "procedural guide", and i must say that this is the best starting point for an undergraduate, it has a few major points i must highlight,
first is avalible in a cheaper paper back which can keep the cost down (compare this with all the other forensic entomology books), Second this book has worked examples of the maths involoved, as well as questions to test yourself, also how to use excel to do some of the work. Thirdly it includes lab protocals, which a lecturer could use to form the basis of a practical, (also the amateur entomologist could use them for taxonomic studies), the book i feel is lucid enough for the beginer (a problem that can vex the higher priced texts), and yet authorative enough that the more advanced can still find new infomation in,
Of course if you are very serious about the subject you will own all the books, but this is where i would recomend to start
Andy
Author:
Matt Ridley
By Harper Perennial
Science writer Matt Ridley's Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters is an elegant reflection on the significance of being able, for the first time in history, to read our own genes. The book is loosely organised around the stories of one gene per chromosome, rather than the whole genome. This enables Ridley to take in most of the usual topics associated with genes--our relations with other species, the nature of intelligence, the origins of behaviour--and add some new ones. Ridley is a fine writer and explains his selection of genetic stories exceptionally well. This is especially helpful when he is dealing with the intricacies of evolutionary theory or the tangled webs of genes influencing biochemistry influencing behaviour, influencing biochemistry influencing genes. His libertarian-right politics (state intervention bad, individual choice good) cut through many traditional worries about screening, testing and eugenics. The generally even tone only deserts him in a rather bad- tempered discussion of BSE (which starts with the gene for the protein implicated in the disease) and public attitudes to beef-eating. Otherwise, he is almost alway...
A Good and Informative Read, 2006-01-02
This is an excellent book about the genome. It is simple to read even if you only have basic background knowledge of the subject - as the preface explains all the background science you need to know prior to reading the book. However, even if you have a background of science, it is not dumbed down enough to make it dull, as most popular science books are - I found that it contains many interesting facts about the genome that I hadn't known prior to reading it. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in science.
List Price: £10.99
Our Price: £3.95
Author:
Jess Buxton, Jon Turney
By Rough Guides
 Not as good as I thought, 2008-04-09
I purchased The Rough Guide to the Brain, and it was phenomenal. It went into a lot of detail, but also made everything so simple. With this book I found after the first two chapters I still didn't know what the difference between a gene, DNA, or a chromosome was. It's a good book, but not a good introductory book.
List Price: £29.95
Our Price: £25.14
Author:
Terry A. Brown
By WileyBlackwell
Great book for uni students, 2006-02-05
I bought this book to help me with my finals for my micro biology module. I assumed it would be the usual dry text book that I would dip into when necessary. However, this was not the case. It's well written and easy to read from cover to cover as well as being laid out so that you can easily find specific info when necessary. Glad I bought it!!!
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