The Violinist's Thumb by Sam Kean audiobook

The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code

By Sam Kean
Read by Henry Leyva

Little, Brown & Company 9780316182317
12.58 Hours • Unabridged
Format : Digital Download (In Stock)
  • 1 Format: Digital Download
  • $31.99
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    ISBN: 9781611134667

From New York Times bestselling author Sam Kean comes incredible stories of science, history, language, and music, as told by our own DNA. In The Disappearing Spoon, bestselling author Sam Kean unlocked the mysteries of the periodic table. In The Violinist's Thumb, he explores the wonders of the magical building block of life: DNA. There are genes to explain crazy cat ladies, why other people have no fingerprints, and why some people survive nuclear bombs. Genes illuminate everything from JFK's bronze skin (it wasn't a tan) to Einstein's genius. They prove that Neanderthals and humans bred thousands of years more recently than any of us would feel comfortable thinking. They can even allow some people, because of the exceptional flexibility of their thumbs and fingers, to become truly singular violinists. Kean's vibrant storytelling once again makes science entertaining, explaining human history and whimsy while showing how DNA will influence our species' future.

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Summary

Summary

A New York Times bestseller (extended list)

An Amazon Best Book of the Month, July 2012

One of the Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books for Nonfiction

From New York Times bestselling author Sam Kean comes incredible stories of science, history, language, and music, as told by our own DNA.

In The Disappearing Spoon, bestselling author Sam Kean unlocked the mysteries of the periodic table. In The Violinist's Thumb, he explores the wonders of the magical building block of life: DNA.

There are genes to explain crazy cat ladies, why other people have no fingerprints, and why some people survive nuclear bombs. Genes illuminate everything from JFK's bronze skin (it wasn't a tan) to Einstein's genius. They prove that Neanderthals and humans bred thousands of years more recently than any of us would feel comfortable thinking. They can even allow some people, because of the exceptional flexibility of their thumbs and fingers, to become truly singular violinists.

Kean's vibrant storytelling once again makes science entertaining, explaining human history and whimsy while showing how DNA will influence our species' future.

Editorial Reviews

Editorial Reviews

“The periodic table meets the bestseller list with Sam Kean’s Disappearing Spoon, an engaging tour of the elements…with the éclat of raw sodium dropped in a beaker of water.”  —New York Times
“Kean’s writing sparks like small shocks…He gives science a whiz-bang verve so that every page becomes one you cannot wait to turn just to see what he’s going reveal next.”  —Boston Globe
“Kean educates readers about a facet of science with wonderfully witty prose and enthralling anecdotes…Kean’s thoughtful, humorous book is a joy to read.”  —Publishers Weekly
“Kean has created another page-turning scientific history in The Violinist’s Thumb. With fluid gusto, he turns the discovery of DNA into riveting human drama…Kean illuminates clues embedded in our genes that help map the meandering trajectory of our species then leaves readers with the distinct impression that all this has been a fantastic preamble to our species’ most thrilling (and likely chilling) chapter: manipulating our DNA to remake future humans, and all life on Earth.” —Amazon.com, editorial review
“A science journalist with a flair for words…[Kean’s] language is fluid and accessible, even for the science-challenged.” —Library Journal
“Nonfiction to make you sound smart over summertime gin and tonics: the human history behind the periodic table.”  —Time
“Science is made fun whenever bestselling author Kean…is narrating.” —New York Post
“Kean turns his clever eye and engaging prose to unveiling the secrets of our DNA.” —Denver Post
“The book established Kean as that rare thing: a science writer with a sharp sense of humor.”  —NPR
“Kean offers up strange stories of how our genes help and hinder us.”  —Newsweek
“The DNA molecule, Kean asserts, is the ‘grand narrative of human existence’—and he boldly sets out to tell the tale, not only explaining genetics and its scientific history but linking Mendel’s pea shoots to the evolution of early humans…He’s crafted a lively read packed with unforgettable details.” —Discover
“The wonderful thing about Kean…is his ability to focus on a spiraling narrative while he climbs up the double-helix ladder in this history of genetics, remaining more or less at the center of the rungs while he goes from the struggles of Mendel and Miescher to the Human Genome Project…It is a handsome story.” —Daily Beast
“Kean’s real knack is for digging up strange details most textbooks leave out…More than an assortment of trivia, the book is an engaging history.” —Science News

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Author

Author Bio: Sam Kean

Author Bio: Sam Kean

Sam Kean is the author of several books, including the New York Times bestseller The Disappearing Spoon. He is also a two-time finalist for the PEN/E. O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award. His work has appeared in The Best American Science and Nature Writing, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and the New York Times Magazine, among other publications, and he has been featured on NPR’s Radiolab, All Things Considered, Science Friday, and Fresh Air. His podcast, The Disappearing Spoon, debuted at #1 on the iTunes science charts.

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Details

Details

Available Formats : Digital Download
Runtime: 12.58
Audience: Adult
Language: English

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