杏吧原创

The Usborne Internet-linked Introduction to Genes and DNA by Anna Claybourne, Usborne, 拢9.99, ISBN 0746041942 Reviewed by Vivienne Greig

I HAVE seldom been so inspired and yet so irritated by a book. Look inside these glossy covers and discover clear and concise descriptions of the key concepts in the genetic revolution, wrapped round with lavish illustrations and slick photographs. You鈥檒l find the odd interesting nugget even if you are thoroughly familiar with the material. Chromosomes are numbered in descending order of size, for instance, and spider silk protein is made in goats鈥� milk.

The Usborne Internet-linked Introduction to Genes and DNA even gamely tackles the ethics of the GM debate. Here, though, I feel it comes unstuck. Mentioning 鈥淔rankenfoods鈥� is fine but the picture of Boris Karloff is frankly gratuitous.

The frequent and sometimes loose use of 鈥渄esigner baby鈥� is annoyingly misplaced. A healthy IVF baby born after pre-implantation diagnosis to rule out serious disease is scarcely 鈥渄esigned鈥�. And the cheery infant pictured at the end of the cloning diagram makes the process look easy, rather than the result of a major medical intervention. The ban on reproductive cloning in many countries also goes unmentioned.

More disconcerting is the unspoken bias in the way information is presented. The argument against genetically modified organisms is writ large and bold under inflammatory headings, such as 鈥淢aking monsters鈥� and 鈥淓vil uses鈥�.

Potential benefits? They are there, all right, from growing organs for transplants to saving endangered species. But these elements are easy to miss because they are given so little space.

By all means give the book to your children, just be sure to read it yourself first.