Best Diseases
THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER. A New York Times Notable Book. A Washington Post and Seattle Times Best Book of the Year From the Pulitzer Prize-winning, bestselling 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? "This is perhaps the greatest detective story ever told—a millennia-long search, led by a thousand explorers, from Aristotle to Mendel to Francis Collins, for the question marks at the center of every living cell. “Sobering, humbling, and extraordinarily rich reading from a wise and gifted writer who sees how far we have come—but how much farther far we have to go to understand our human nature and destiny.” ( Kirkus, starred review ). "Mukherjee deftly relates the basic scientific facts about the way genes are believed to function, while making clear the aspects of genetics that remain unknown. He offers insight into both the scientific process and the sociology of science... By relating familial information, Mukherjee grounds the abstract in the personal to add power and poignancy to his excellent narrative." Mukherjee punctuates his encyclopedic investigations of collective and individual heritability, and our closing in on the genetic technologies that will transform how we will shape our own genome, with evocative personal anecdotes, deft literary allusions, wonderfully apt metaphors, and an irrepressible intellectual brio.” ( Ben Dickinson, Elle ). The story [of the gene] has been told, piecemeal, in different ways, but never before with the scope and grandeur that Siddhartha Mukherjee brings to his new history… he views his subject panoptically, from a great and clarifying height, yet also intimately.” ( James Gleick, New York Times Book Review ).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The volume benefits from Mukherjee’s elegant literary style, novelist’s eye for character sketches and expansive feel for human history. Mendel was an abbot in a little known town in Central Europe whose pioneering experiments on pea plants provided the first window into the gene and evolution. Eugenics has now acquired a bad reputation, but Galton was a polymath who made important contributions to science by introducing statistics and measurements in the study of genetic differences. Many of the early eugenicists subscribed to the racial theories that were common in those days; many of them were well intended if patronizing, seeking to ‘improve the weak’, but they did not see the ominous slippery slope which they were on. Eugenics was enthusiastically supported in the United States; Mukherjee discusses the infamous Supreme Court case in which Oliver Wendell Holmes sanctioned the forced sterilization of an unfortunate woman named Carrie Buck by proclaiming, “Three generations of imbeciles are enough”. Another misuse of genetics was by Trofim Lysenko who tried to use Lamarck’s theories of acquired characteristics in doomed agricultural campaigns in Stalinist Russia; as an absurd example, he tried to “re educate” wheat using “shock therapy”. Mutations in specific genes (for instance ones causing changes in eye color) allowed them to track the flow of genetic material through several generations. The scientists most important for recognizing this fact were Frederick Griffiths and Oswald Avery and Mukherjee tells their story well; however I would have appreciated a fuller account of Friedrich Miescher who discovered DNA in pus bandages from soldiers. All these events set the stage for the golden age of molecular biology, the deciphering of the structure of DNA by James Watson (to whom the quote in the title is attributed), Francis Crick, Rosalind Franklin and others. Many of these pioneers were inspired by a little book by physicist Erwin Schrodinger which argued that the gene could be understood using precise principles of physics and chemistry; his arguments turned biology into a reductionist science. As a woman in a man’s establishment Franklin was in turn patronized and sidelined, but unlike Watson and Crick she was averse to building models and applying the principles of chemistry to the problem, two traits that were key to the duo’s success. The book then talks about early successes in correlating genes with illness that came with the advent of the human genome and epigenome; genetics has been very useful in finding determinants and drugs for diseases like sickle cell anemia, childhood leukemia, breast cancer and cystic fibrosis. Mukherjee especially has an excellent account of Nancy Wexler, the discoverer of the gene causing Huntington’s disease, whose search for its origins led her to families stricken with the malady in remote parts of Venezuela. The basic verdict is that while there is undoubtedly a genetic component to all these factors, the complex interplay between genes and environment means that it’s very difficult currently to tease apart influences from the two. The last part of the book focuses on some cutting edge research on genetics that’s uncovering both potent tools for precise gene engineering as well as deep insights into human evolution. There are a few minor scientific infelicities: for instance Linus Pauling’s structure of DNA was not really flawed because of a lack of magnesium ions but mainly because it sported a form of the phosphate groups that wouldn’t exist at the marginally alkaline pH of the human body. The book’s treatment of the genetic code leaves out some key exciting moments, such as when a scientific bombshell from biochemist Marshall Nirenberg disrupted a major meeting in the former Soviet Union. Nor is there much exploration of using gene sequences to illuminate the ‘tree of life’ which Darwin tantalizingly pulled the veil back on: in general I would have appreciated a bigger discussion of how DNA connects us to all living creatures. Its sweeping profile of life’s innermost secrets could not help but remind me of a Japanese proverb quoted by physicist Richard Feynman: “To every man is given the key to the gates of heaven."
"There are abundant scientific notions to satisfy any reader picking up the book to understand the real subject matter, but not in the general bland fashion of studies-and-conclusions that tend to lose many a lay people. From the notions of introns and exons to the polygenic nature of most phenotypes, the feedback from environment to gene mutation and the massive role played by non-gene factors in most our traits, the author uncovers a staggering number of interesting findings in a highly understandable manner. As professionals or parents seek to weed out certain deformities, there are genuine risks of us eliminating some important evolutionary traits mainly out of ignorance of how genes really work at this stage but also out of their possible other utilities in long future."
"Siddhartha Mukherjee writes about the history of the understanding of the gene with a clear and engaging style."
Presented in two volumes : Volume 1 is devoted to foundational principles, cardinal manifestations of disease and approach to differential diagnosis; Volume 2 covers disease pathogenesis and treatment NEW chapters on important topics such as Men’s Health, The Impact of Global Warming on Infectious Diseases, Fatigue, and many more Critical updates in management and therapeutics in Hepatitis, Coronary Artery Disease, Ebola Virus Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Diabetes, Hypertension, Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism, Acute and Chronic Kidney Disease, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Lipoprotein Disorders, HIV and AIDS, and more. Increased number of the popular Harrison’s clinical algorithms ; clinically relevant radiographic examples spanning hundreds of diseases; clinical-pathological images in full color; crystal clear, full color drawings and illustrations and helpful tables and summary lists that make clinical application of the content faster than ever Access to outstanding multi-media resources including practical videos demonstrating essential bedside procedures, physical examination techniques, endoscopic findings, cardiovascular findings, and more. Acclaim for Harrison’s : “Covering nearly every possible topic in the field of medicine, the book begins with a phenomenal overview of clinical medicine, discussing important topics such as global medicine, decision-making in clinical practice, the concepts of disease screening and prevention, as well as the importance of medical disorders in specific groups (e.g. women, surgical patients, end of life). Joseph Loscalzo MD, PhD is Hersey Professor of the Theory and Practice of Medicine, Harvard Medicine School and a leading authority in many aspects of cardiovascular medicine.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It is much more important for vast majority of internists to know how to manage transfusions and their complications than to be experts in Tularemia, Relapsing Polychondritis or MEN - and these chapters made it to the paper! Other examples of important chapters that can be found only on the disk are Bone Cancer, Antiviral therapy, Poisoning and drug overdose etc."
"It's got a bit of everything."
"I love this book!"
"Did not include the features advertised, such as online access to the eChapters."
"Lastly, I suggest streamlining the text as much as possible in the 20th edition by reporting only the most relevant clinically oriented information about the scientific paper."
Prepared by residents and attending physicians at Massachusetts General Hospital, this portable, best-selling reference tackles the diagnosis and treatment of the most common disorders in cardiology, pulmonary medicine, gastroenterology, nephrology, hematology-oncology, infectious diseases, endocrinology, rheumatology, and neurology. 16-page color insert displays classic normal and abnormal radiographs, CT scans, echocardiograms, peripheral blood smears, and urinalyses commonly seen in the practice of internal medicine.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"What makes this book such an amazing reference is that they actually write down the article/journal that they are referencing to if you wish to expand your knowledge base with the original research. If you can get a copy off your colleague, I recommend taking a look first before jumping the gun and buying it without looking at how this is written. Now I will present changes/differences: New sections (not all inclusive): Cardiac Rhythm Management Devices, Toxicology, Lung Transplant, Dysmotility and Nutrition, Disorders of Colon, Intestinal Ischemia. New references: qSOFA for sepsis, cardiac risk assessment tables has been slightly simplified (although the basics are the same), JNC 8 is in the book. Dislikes: the book I bought uses a more similar flimsy paper as in the purple version. I'm thinking this may be the last one I upgrade as I probably use uptodate more often now as an attending but I can appreciate all of the information that is needed to update this little book."
"This book is obviously a must-have book for your internal medicine inpatient work whether it's as a medical student, intern, or resident. Because it gives way more tangible, practical diagnostic and management steps than the Red/Green book, all my residents would be super surprised at how much more "mature" and "relevant" my diagnostic and management plans were in my presentations. They thought I was a genius and further along than most of my classmates...(and I wasn't too keen on letting them know where most of that genius was coming from :). 2) Sanford Guide (microbio) - this is really the best book for any microbio you'll need on the wards. You'll look like you actually paid attention during microbio with this book. That alone makes this book worth it."
Best Genetics
THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER. A New York Times Notable Book. A Washington Post and Seattle Times Best Book of the Year From the Pulitzer Prize-winning, bestselling 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? "This is perhaps the greatest detective story ever told—a millennia-long search, led by a thousand explorers, from Aristotle to Mendel to Francis Collins, for the question marks at the center of every living cell. “Sobering, humbling, and extraordinarily rich reading from a wise and gifted writer who sees how far we have come—but how much farther far we have to go to understand our human nature and destiny.” ( Kirkus, starred review ). "Mukherjee deftly relates the basic scientific facts about the way genes are believed to function, while making clear the aspects of genetics that remain unknown. He offers insight into both the scientific process and the sociology of science... By relating familial information, Mukherjee grounds the abstract in the personal to add power and poignancy to his excellent narrative." Mukherjee punctuates his encyclopedic investigations of collective and individual heritability, and our closing in on the genetic technologies that will transform how we will shape our own genome, with evocative personal anecdotes, deft literary allusions, wonderfully apt metaphors, and an irrepressible intellectual brio.” ( Ben Dickinson, Elle ). The story [of the gene] has been told, piecemeal, in different ways, but never before with the scope and grandeur that Siddhartha Mukherjee brings to his new history… he views his subject panoptically, from a great and clarifying height, yet also intimately.” ( James Gleick, New York Times Book Review ).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The volume benefits from Mukherjee’s elegant literary style, novelist’s eye for character sketches and expansive feel for human history. Mendel was an abbot in a little known town in Central Europe whose pioneering experiments on pea plants provided the first window into the gene and evolution. Eugenics has now acquired a bad reputation, but Galton was a polymath who made important contributions to science by introducing statistics and measurements in the study of genetic differences. Many of the early eugenicists subscribed to the racial theories that were common in those days; many of them were well intended if patronizing, seeking to ‘improve the weak’, but they did not see the ominous slippery slope which they were on. Eugenics was enthusiastically supported in the United States; Mukherjee discusses the infamous Supreme Court case in which Oliver Wendell Holmes sanctioned the forced sterilization of an unfortunate woman named Carrie Buck by proclaiming, “Three generations of imbeciles are enough”. Another misuse of genetics was by Trofim Lysenko who tried to use Lamarck’s theories of acquired characteristics in doomed agricultural campaigns in Stalinist Russia; as an absurd example, he tried to “re educate” wheat using “shock therapy”. Mutations in specific genes (for instance ones causing changes in eye color) allowed them to track the flow of genetic material through several generations. The scientists most important for recognizing this fact were Frederick Griffiths and Oswald Avery and Mukherjee tells their story well; however I would have appreciated a fuller account of Friedrich Miescher who discovered DNA in pus bandages from soldiers. All these events set the stage for the golden age of molecular biology, the deciphering of the structure of DNA by James Watson (to whom the quote in the title is attributed), Francis Crick, Rosalind Franklin and others. Many of these pioneers were inspired by a little book by physicist Erwin Schrodinger which argued that the gene could be understood using precise principles of physics and chemistry; his arguments turned biology into a reductionist science. As a woman in a man’s establishment Franklin was in turn patronized and sidelined, but unlike Watson and Crick she was averse to building models and applying the principles of chemistry to the problem, two traits that were key to the duo’s success. The book then talks about early successes in correlating genes with illness that came with the advent of the human genome and epigenome; genetics has been very useful in finding determinants and drugs for diseases like sickle cell anemia, childhood leukemia, breast cancer and cystic fibrosis. Mukherjee especially has an excellent account of Nancy Wexler, the discoverer of the gene causing Huntington’s disease, whose search for its origins led her to families stricken with the malady in remote parts of Venezuela. The basic verdict is that while there is undoubtedly a genetic component to all these factors, the complex interplay between genes and environment means that it’s very difficult currently to tease apart influences from the two. The last part of the book focuses on some cutting edge research on genetics that’s uncovering both potent tools for precise gene engineering as well as deep insights into human evolution. There are a few minor scientific infelicities: for instance Linus Pauling’s structure of DNA was not really flawed because of a lack of magnesium ions but mainly because it sported a form of the phosphate groups that wouldn’t exist at the marginally alkaline pH of the human body. The book’s treatment of the genetic code leaves out some key exciting moments, such as when a scientific bombshell from biochemist Marshall Nirenberg disrupted a major meeting in the former Soviet Union. Nor is there much exploration of using gene sequences to illuminate the ‘tree of life’ which Darwin tantalizingly pulled the veil back on: in general I would have appreciated a bigger discussion of how DNA connects us to all living creatures. Its sweeping profile of life’s innermost secrets could not help but remind me of a Japanese proverb quoted by physicist Richard Feynman: “To every man is given the key to the gates of heaven."
"There are abundant scientific notions to satisfy any reader picking up the book to understand the real subject matter, but not in the general bland fashion of studies-and-conclusions that tend to lose many a lay people. From the notions of introns and exons to the polygenic nature of most phenotypes, the feedback from environment to gene mutation and the massive role played by non-gene factors in most our traits, the author uncovers a staggering number of interesting findings in a highly understandable manner. As professionals or parents seek to weed out certain deformities, there are genuine risks of us eliminating some important evolutionary traits mainly out of ignorance of how genes really work at this stage but also out of their possible other utilities in long future."
"Siddhartha Mukherjee writes about the history of the understanding of the gene with a clear and engaging style."
Best Genetics
THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER. A New York Times Notable Book. A Washington Post and Seattle Times Best Book of the Year From the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Emperor of All Maladies —a fascinating history of the gene and “a magisterial account of how human minds have laboriously, ingeniously picked apart what makes us tick” ( Elle ). “A fascinating and often sobering history of how humans came to understand the roles of genes in making us who we are—and what our manipulation of those genes might mean for our future” ( Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel ), The Gene is the revelatory and magisterial history of a scientific idea coming to life, the most crucial science of our time, intimately explained by a master. Here, he follows up with a biography of the gene—and The Gene is just as informative, wise, and well-written as that first book.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The volume benefits from Mukherjee’s elegant literary style, novelist’s eye for character sketches and expansive feel for human history. Mendel was an abbot in a little known town in Central Europe whose pioneering experiments on pea plants provided the first window into the gene and evolution. Eugenics has now acquired a bad reputation, but Galton was a polymath who made important contributions to science by introducing statistics and measurements in the study of genetic differences. Many of the early eugenicists subscribed to the racial theories that were common in those days; many of them were well intended if patronizing, seeking to ‘improve the weak’, but they did not see the ominous slippery slope which they were on. Eugenics was enthusiastically supported in the United States; Mukherjee discusses the infamous Supreme Court case in which Oliver Wendell Holmes sanctioned the forced sterilization of an unfortunate woman named Carrie Buck by proclaiming, “Three generations of imbeciles are enough”. Another misuse of genetics was by Trofim Lysenko who tried to use Lamarck’s theories of acquired characteristics in doomed agricultural campaigns in Stalinist Russia; as an absurd example, he tried to “re educate” wheat using “shock therapy”. Mutations in specific genes (for instance ones causing changes in eye color) allowed them to track the flow of genetic material through several generations. The scientists most important for recognizing this fact were Frederick Griffiths and Oswald Avery and Mukherjee tells their story well; however I would have appreciated a fuller account of Friedrich Miescher who discovered DNA in pus bandages from soldiers. All these events set the stage for the golden age of molecular biology, the deciphering of the structure of DNA by James Watson (to whom the quote in the title is attributed), Francis Crick, Rosalind Franklin and others. Many of these pioneers were inspired by a little book by physicist Erwin Schrodinger which argued that the gene could be understood using precise principles of physics and chemistry; his arguments turned biology into a reductionist science. As a woman in a man’s establishment Franklin was in turn patronized and sidelined, but unlike Watson and Crick she was averse to building models and applying the principles of chemistry to the problem, two traits that were key to the duo’s success. The book then talks about early successes in correlating genes with illness that came with the advent of the human genome and epigenome; genetics has been very useful in finding determinants and drugs for diseases like sickle cell anemia, childhood leukemia, breast cancer and cystic fibrosis. Mukherjee especially has an excellent account of Nancy Wexler, the discoverer of the gene causing Huntington’s disease, whose search for its origins led her to families stricken with the malady in remote parts of Venezuela. The basic verdict is that while there is undoubtedly a genetic component to all these factors, the complex interplay between genes and environment means that it’s very difficult currently to tease apart influences from the two. The last part of the book focuses on some cutting edge research on genetics that’s uncovering both potent tools for precise gene engineering as well as deep insights into human evolution. There are a few minor scientific infelicities: for instance Linus Pauling’s structure of DNA was not really flawed because of a lack of magnesium ions but mainly because it sported a form of the phosphate groups that wouldn’t exist at the marginally alkaline pH of the human body. The book’s treatment of the genetic code leaves out some key exciting moments, such as when a scientific bombshell from biochemist Marshall Nirenberg disrupted a major meeting in the former Soviet Union. Nor is there much exploration of using gene sequences to illuminate the ‘tree of life’ which Darwin tantalizingly pulled the veil back on: in general I would have appreciated a bigger discussion of how DNA connects us to all living creatures. Its sweeping profile of life’s innermost secrets could not help but remind me of a Japanese proverb quoted by physicist Richard Feynman: “To every man is given the key to the gates of heaven."
"There are abundant scientific notions to satisfy any reader picking up the book to understand the real subject matter, but not in the general bland fashion of studies-and-conclusions that tend to lose many a lay people. From the notions of introns and exons to the polygenic nature of most phenotypes, the feedback from environment to gene mutation and the massive role played by non-gene factors in most our traits, the author uncovers a staggering number of interesting findings in a highly understandable manner. As professionals or parents seek to weed out certain deformities, there are genuine risks of us eliminating some important evolutionary traits mainly out of ignorance of how genes really work at this stage but also out of their possible other utilities in long future."
Best General
Atul Gawande, the New York Times bestselling author of Complications, examines, in riveting accounts of medical failure and triumph, how success is achieved in this complex and risk-filled profession. A surgeon at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and an assistant professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, Dr. Atul Gawande succeeds in putting a human face on controversial topics like malpractice and global disparities in medical care, while taking an unflinching look at his own failings as a doctor.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is another great book by Dr. Gawande with stories of every day ingenuity that leads to big changes and improvements."
"Uses captivating stories to make his point."
"Interesting and Dr. Gawande is a very good writer."
"Atul stitches together what at first are seemingly random, yet very interesting stories within medicine,and masterfully converges the stories into a beautiful singular mission that makes all of us want to take part in the betterment of medicine and our world."
"Great books and good author."
"For a student planning a medical career."
"One of the most exceptional books I've read."
"Worthwhile read on how to improve our thinking and processes, even if it means acknowledging that we're imperfect."
Best Medical Essays
In gripping accounts of true cases, surgeon Atul Gawande explores the power and the limits of medicine, offering an unflinching view from the scalpel's edge. His prose is thoughtful and deeply engaging, shifting from sometimes painful stories of suffering patients (including his own child) to intriguing suggestions for improving medicine with the same care he expresses in the surgical theater.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"As I've mentioned in other reviews, this author is absolutely amazing, so talented, so real, sharing so much of himself and what goes on in the surgeon's world.....rather terrifying, actually, but I would want him to be my surgeon."
"Wonderfully written book."
"The stories and anecdotes reveal the struggles doctors face when trying to give patients clear, definitive answers to oft times mysterious and perplexing health problems."
"This book is about being human — living in human bodies, minds, and spirits — and thus it’s of interest to all of us."
"Dr. Gawande is a gifted writer who can make non-medical people aware of the difficulties his profession faces."
"Love this author-have several of his books now-Checklist Manifesto I've read over and over."
"His ideas have found applications in diverse fields like investing (The checklist manifesto is particularly very popular book among value investor community)."
"I think this book is pretty helpful in motivating you."
Best AIDS & HIV
Upon it's first publication twenty years ago, And The Band Played on was quickly recognized as a masterpiece of investigative reporting. “Shilts successfully weaves comprehensive investigative reporting and commercial page-turning pacing, political intrigue, and personal tragedy into a landmark book . Its importance cannot be overstated.” ― Publishers Weekly.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Randy Shilts kind of points the finger at everyone, including the Gay community that he was a part of, and I feel that is what really made the book as great as it is."
"There was no sex education that i could remember and the only thing I do remember about AIDS was a gym teacher telling the class that if you are gay, your tongue will turn purple and you will die of AIDS."
"I remember hearing of a "homosexual disease" in early summer 1981, which was surprisingly early, especially for an Ohioan."
"I didn’t really understand the beginning of the HIV/AIDS crisis since I was too young."
"This book gives the story of the start of the aids epidemic and the missteps and prejudices by doctors, government, and media that led to this problem."
"The story successfully blends a number of elements: competitive jealousies within the scientific community (it's likely that the French actually discovered the AIDS virus, despite a neck-in-neck US researcher who claimed the glory), the politics of the slow-moving National Institutes of Health (NIH), Reagan's stubborn refusal to address the AIDS issue (he finally did so six years after the epidemic began--and after 20,850 citizens had died), and a number of incredibly touching stories of people with the disease. One thing I hadn't known was the schism within the gay community: some people recognizing the reality of the threat while others (understandably) discounted it as internalized homophobia or as a homophobic attempt at sexual repression. This book captures a period in time where, in the midst of sometimes slow-moving science, second-class-citizen politics, and a seemingly indifferent larger society, some dedicated people struggled to raise awareness, to change habits, and others, to face death with equanimity."
"The "Butcher's Bill," the tally of deaths to AIDS, is a steady drumbeat in each chapter as LGBT activists on the ground race to care for the dying as bureaucracy hampers research and recognition for the virus."
Best Special Topics
THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER. A New York Times Notable Book. A Washington Post and Seattle Times Best Book of the Year From the Pulitzer Prize-winning, bestselling 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? "This is perhaps the greatest detective story ever told—a millennia-long search, led by a thousand explorers, from Aristotle to Mendel to Francis Collins, for the question marks at the center of every living cell. “Sobering, humbling, and extraordinarily rich reading from a wise and gifted writer who sees how far we have come—but how much farther far we have to go to understand our human nature and destiny.” ( Kirkus, starred review ). "Mukherjee deftly relates the basic scientific facts about the way genes are believed to function, while making clear the aspects of genetics that remain unknown. He offers insight into both the scientific process and the sociology of science... By relating familial information, Mukherjee grounds the abstract in the personal to add power and poignancy to his excellent narrative." Mukherjee punctuates his encyclopedic investigations of collective and individual heritability, and our closing in on the genetic technologies that will transform how we will shape our own genome, with evocative personal anecdotes, deft literary allusions, wonderfully apt metaphors, and an irrepressible intellectual brio.” ( Ben Dickinson, Elle ). The story [of the gene] has been told, piecemeal, in different ways, but never before with the scope and grandeur that Siddhartha Mukherjee brings to his new history… he views his subject panoptically, from a great and clarifying height, yet also intimately.” ( James Gleick, New York Times Book Review ).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The volume benefits from Mukherjee’s elegant literary style, novelist’s eye for character sketches and expansive feel for human history. Mendel was an abbot in a little known town in Central Europe whose pioneering experiments on pea plants provided the first window into the gene and evolution. Eugenics has now acquired a bad reputation, but Galton was a polymath who made important contributions to science by introducing statistics and measurements in the study of genetic differences. Many of the early eugenicists subscribed to the racial theories that were common in those days; many of them were well intended if patronizing, seeking to ‘improve the weak’, but they did not see the ominous slippery slope which they were on. Eugenics was enthusiastically supported in the United States; Mukherjee discusses the infamous Supreme Court case in which Oliver Wendell Holmes sanctioned the forced sterilization of an unfortunate woman named Carrie Buck by proclaiming, “Three generations of imbeciles are enough”. Another misuse of genetics was by Trofim Lysenko who tried to use Lamarck’s theories of acquired characteristics in doomed agricultural campaigns in Stalinist Russia; as an absurd example, he tried to “re educate” wheat using “shock therapy”. Mutations in specific genes (for instance ones causing changes in eye color) allowed them to track the flow of genetic material through several generations. The scientists most important for recognizing this fact were Frederick Griffiths and Oswald Avery and Mukherjee tells their story well; however I would have appreciated a fuller account of Friedrich Miescher who discovered DNA in pus bandages from soldiers. All these events set the stage for the golden age of molecular biology, the deciphering of the structure of DNA by James Watson (to whom the quote in the title is attributed), Francis Crick, Rosalind Franklin and others. Many of these pioneers were inspired by a little book by physicist Erwin Schrodinger which argued that the gene could be understood using precise principles of physics and chemistry; his arguments turned biology into a reductionist science. As a woman in a man’s establishment Franklin was in turn patronized and sidelined, but unlike Watson and Crick she was averse to building models and applying the principles of chemistry to the problem, two traits that were key to the duo’s success. The book then talks about early successes in correlating genes with illness that came with the advent of the human genome and epigenome; genetics has been very useful in finding determinants and drugs for diseases like sickle cell anemia, childhood leukemia, breast cancer and cystic fibrosis. Mukherjee especially has an excellent account of Nancy Wexler, the discoverer of the gene causing Huntington’s disease, whose search for its origins led her to families stricken with the malady in remote parts of Venezuela. The basic verdict is that while there is undoubtedly a genetic component to all these factors, the complex interplay between genes and environment means that it’s very difficult currently to tease apart influences from the two. The last part of the book focuses on some cutting edge research on genetics that’s uncovering both potent tools for precise gene engineering as well as deep insights into human evolution. There are a few minor scientific infelicities: for instance Linus Pauling’s structure of DNA was not really flawed because of a lack of magnesium ions but mainly because it sported a form of the phosphate groups that wouldn’t exist at the marginally alkaline pH of the human body. The book’s treatment of the genetic code leaves out some key exciting moments, such as when a scientific bombshell from biochemist Marshall Nirenberg disrupted a major meeting in the former Soviet Union. Nor is there much exploration of using gene sequences to illuminate the ‘tree of life’ which Darwin tantalizingly pulled the veil back on: in general I would have appreciated a bigger discussion of how DNA connects us to all living creatures. Its sweeping profile of life’s innermost secrets could not help but remind me of a Japanese proverb quoted by physicist Richard Feynman: “To every man is given the key to the gates of heaven."
"There are abundant scientific notions to satisfy any reader picking up the book to understand the real subject matter, but not in the general bland fashion of studies-and-conclusions that tend to lose many a lay people. From the notions of introns and exons to the polygenic nature of most phenotypes, the feedback from environment to gene mutation and the massive role played by non-gene factors in most our traits, the author uncovers a staggering number of interesting findings in a highly understandable manner. As professionals or parents seek to weed out certain deformities, there are genuine risks of us eliminating some important evolutionary traits mainly out of ignorance of how genes really work at this stage but also out of their possible other utilities in long future."
"Siddhartha Mukherjee writes about the history of the understanding of the gene with a clear and engaging style."
Best Nephrology
"Susan has done a masterful job in educating patients about their disease, explaining why watching your diet is important, and offering meal plans and recipes that encourage compliance and fun." In her comprehensive renal diet cookbook, she details weekly meal plans featuring recipes that keep your potassium, sodium, and phosphorous levels in check. My patients need information, education, meal plans, ample options, simple recipes, flavor, fun, and the reassurance that what they eat is good for them. Now when my patients ask me for ideas and start to look at food like medicine I can just give them this reference and off they go! It's not just a book of recipes; it starts with solid, easy-to-understand information about aspects of the renal diet and why they are important. There was a need for an attractive book which is easy to understand and which presented the materials in a manner that encouraged success and kept the reader motivated. The Renal Diet Cookbook supplies a great deal of valuable information and motivation, including excellent advice on getting started in a way that will ease you into the plan.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Each recipe includes number of calories and amounts of potassium, phosphorous, protein, sodium, fat, etc. The book starts out with clear and concise information regarding what bodily function each nutrient is needed for and the approximate range a person on dialysis should stay within which was extremely helpful."
"Renal Diet Cookbook: The Low Sodium, Low Potassium, Healthy Kidney Cookbook. Very informative book with a weekly meal plans for a healthier kidney. It start with some diet tips, understanding Kidney disease, meal plan action and recipes. The 28 meal plan is excellent, providing you all you need for every week meal plan with a shopping list."
"Gave this to a friend of mine who uses it all the time as she has kidney disease."
"Already feeling better about my new lifestyle eating change."
"Very useful to have, decent food and advice."
"Everything was satisfactory."
"Great book if you are looking for recipe ideas for anyone with kidney disease."
"Husband in stage 4 renal failure and a lot of these recipes contradict the list of "foods to enjoy" "foods to avoid" list given to me by the hospital."
Best Medical Reference
When you need advice on how to present information, including text, data, and graphics, for publication in any type of format--such as college and university papers, professional journals, presentations for colleagues, and online publication--you will find the advice you're looking for in the "Publication Manual."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Though it should be noted they need to update it to discuss multiple mediums like songs, albums, movies on disc or blu-ray, videos on websites like Vimeo and DailyMotion."
"I needed this for a doctoral class."
"I'm in nursing school so I can't imagine how helpful this would be for students in programs that require more papers."
"Who doesn't love APA formatting."
"Even allowed a download to be burned to CD. A new download should be allowed for previous purchasers, at least with a discount."
"I would suggest using this book!"
"The content is great but it looks like the printer was low on ink... at first I thought I got a counterfeit but I think it's just the way the book is printed."
"This book is a must for any student whose school requires APA Format 6th edition."
Best Medical Procedure
What makes this book unique is that it is the first published book on how to break into the Medical Science Liaison role and was written by someone who has actually been an MSL, hired MSLs, interviewed MSL, reviewed MSL CVs, and Managed MSL Teams. In three easy-to-read sections, he discusses the Medical Science Liaison role, presents your MSL job search strategy, and reveals the inner workings of the MSL hiring process.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I ordered this book a day before my phone interview for an MSL position."
"You can see how his enormous expertise in the MSL field is condensed in this book, both in terms of content and writing style. On the contrary, considering the vast diversity of the field it would simply be too much, too overwhelming and let alone not feasible for a book of that format."
"As a PhD candidate who is aspiring to become a MSL but without much clue on where to find more information, I was lucky enough to stumble upon Dr. Samuel Dyer's book on how to break into the MSL role."
"I purchased Dr.Dyer's book about a month ago when I decided that the MSL career would be an excellent professional pathway for me."
"I wish I had purchased this book prior to my first interview for an MSL position."
"All the opportunities that I have encountered so far in the Med Affairs arena were solely through the interaction with the MSL Society members and by following the step-by-step methodology of "focused networking" approach described in this book. I expected to see a short chapter on the challenges faced by a newly recruited MSL (during the very first year after landing on the job) and tips on how to navigate the brewing phase of this career."
Best Medical Encyclopedias
When you need advice on how to present information, including text, data, and graphics, for publication in any type of format--such as college and university papers, professional journals, presentations for colleagues, and online publication--you will find the advice you're looking for in the "Publication Manual."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Is great to have as a reference for college classes."
"This manual got me through many research papers in undergrad, and it's coming with me to grad school, where it'll be put to the test."
"Recommended getting the physical book instead of the e-book, as I wrote a lot of notes and highlighted key areas in the book."
"I write in APA quite a bit, and this really helps with not just citing sources, but also with formatting your papers."
"It has all the info for writing APA you need."
"There are other online sources, but as I tell my students."
"I actually do not hate APA."
"Amazon...great as usual with delivery, price, and packaging."