Mutants
On Genetic Variety and the Human Body

i've now read this book twice and all i can say is that leroi has a rare skill; he is able to present dense scientific facts in a way that borders on poetic. his fascination with genetics is apparent in the loving detail with which he writes. i particularly loved the way he started each section with......more

It took a little while to get into this book. What I thought would be the most interesting mutations - like conjoined twins - were actually the least, which is perhaps why the author chose to put that chapter first. Honestly, the most compelling studies were of things that are not as obvious mutatio......more

All my life, I have groaned inside (and sometimes outside) whenever someone spoke about the "miracle" of giving birth. How miraculous is it, I would ask cynically (and overly confident of my cleverness), if flies and jellyfish do it? In fact, it's only one of the most basic functions living organism......more

Near the end of this book the author pulls out the quote per molto variare la natur e bella--Nature's beauty is its variety--and it could be a motto for the book itself. Given that most of the book is about the human body developing dramatic abnormalities, usually during development, beauty is an od......more

Those expecting a real-life version of "Mondo Freaks"--the book that caused so much disaster for the characters on the TV comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm--won't get that here. This is a scientific, and generally respectful, look at the many genetic variances that can occur when human and animal bodies a......more