Books/A Guinea Pig's History of Biology

Author: Jim Endersby
ISBN:

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2009-05-10 23:17:11   This book was written by a very intellectual guinea pig! It covers the history of theories of heredity and genetics, from Aristotle through to the present day. It contains the most thorough description of Mendel and his work I’ve read. I found that the book occasionally slipped into a recitation of names and events where I lost focus on the story, but the author snaps you back with a neat little trick of relating the well known legend of how a fact was discovered, and then turning it round with “but that’s not how it really happened…”

Wistar Rats are mentioned in passing, but this isn’t a book that will tell you a lot about the role of rats in the laboratory. More like the role of fruit flies, Thale cress and zebra fish! The reason I feel it’s relevant for review here is that learning about rats and responsible breeding has become closely linked in my mind to learning about evolution and genetics.

A big plus point for rat owners wishing to read this book is that it doesn’t seem to be very tasty. I sat reading it with the rats out every evening, and it didn’t get very chewed round the edges at all. Very unusual. Did get peed on though.

The book’s not as easy a read as the cover suggests, but I was happy that it was money well spent. —AnnetteRand