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Mar 08, 2011

Ryan rated it:

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 mutations, like size, skin color or aging. The scientific jargon can get a little intense at times, but it eases up as the book continues, and is worth slogging through. The author treats the subject man More...

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Sep 18, 2007

Brittany rated it:

Fascinating book (very science heavy) that examines things that go wrong with the human genome, often with the intent of learning how normal development occurs. Leroi discusses a huge range of genetic abnormalities in a very humane way while also providing fascinating historical accounts, at times both uplifting and depressing. Illustrations and pictures throughout were both illuminating and heartbreaking, but always serve to illustrate his material. Considering the astronomical number of way More...

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Jul 05, 2011

Rebecca rated it:

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 organisms perform, along with eating and pooping. After reading this book, however, and learning about so many things that can happen during gestation that will render the fetus unviable, I am truly More...

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Sep 26, 2010

Ugh rated it:

This is at times an uncomfortable read, as it approaches its subject of human developmental biology through specific examples of what can go wrong when genetic abnormalities occur, complete with pictures. However, although the descriptions are unflinching, as they have to be in any serious scientific book, they're never gratuitous, and the tone of these parts is scholarly but compassionate. None but the most sensitive of readers should avoid this on those grounds.
That said, I would rather h More...

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Jan 30, 2012

Douglas rated it:

Three and a half stars.

I read this while suffering through a bad case of poison oak, so I felt like a bit of a mutant myself.

More than just a trip to the freakshow, Mutants is a Baconian exploration of what biological error can teach us about biological success. The science in the book is delivered in brief chunks digestible without too much difficulty by a layperson (like me). The most fascinating subject matter comes in the second half of the book – especially in the c More...

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Oct 29, 2007

Etta rated it:

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 a tale from the annals of history, giving a very personal voice to each of the "disorders" he describes.

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Jan 01, 2011

Nathan added it

Life is beautiful, but the process of creating life involves variation and some of those variations have horrified and fascinated people through history. This book alternates historical with contemporary understanding of mutants, to powerful effect. A book purely of ancient misconceptions (heh) of science gets dull quickly. A book purely of how we understand biology to work also gets dull quickly. The author's explanation of historical understanding, and the elegant science writing makes thi More...

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Aug 01, 2007

Beth rated it:

This is a beautifully written book that examines western societies' understanding of genetic mutation, balancing historical interpretation through a lens of faith with modern science that was interesting enough to make me angry when I got interrupted while reading. Honestly, this book is so much better than my review would have you believe.

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Sep 01, 2011

Kara rated it:

I learned a lot in reading this book. There seemed to be two central theses. The first is completely successful, which is that in understanding what can go "wrong" genetically, we better understand what goes "right." Hence me reading about many genetic disorders and deformities late at night before bed and scaring Byron when he looked over at the pictures. The second thesis was, I think, to celebrate "genetic variety," mutations being intrinsic to every human's make More...

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Feb 02, 2010

Katia rated it:

This was a fantastic book about the neverending variations in human genetics. Although the subject matter could have come across as prurient or voyeuristic in another author's hands, Leroi treats each case with dignity and class. The actual "mutants" are not the focus of this book - instead, it is an in-depth examination of the scientific basis of each mutation and the variability that makes us all human. Highly recommended for both scientists and laymen...best science book I've rea More...

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May 01, 2011

Jessica rated it:

Mutants is a study of many of the ways the human body can grow or develop differently. The book is fascinating, and there are some very well-chosen pictures (although I would have liked more pictures, given the wealth of conditions he discusses in the book, some of which can be difficult to visualize in one's head), but it has a tendency to become overly scientific - the age-old problem of authors not being able to commit to one audience, and trying to write for laypeople and scientists alike. T More...

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Dec 16, 2009

Beth rated it:

Fascinating. I just wish there were more illustrations or pictures. It made me want to go back to visit the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia.

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May 03, 2008

Jessica rated it:

This sounds right up my alley.

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This was amazing - review coming, once I've gotten some sleep.

3 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 27, 2009

Audacia rated it:

I'm not a dumb lady. But science hasn't really ever been my thing (which is why it's funny that I teach my human sexuality course in a biology department). I've been wanting to read more science stuff but also a little apprehensive about it, so a book about genetic mutations with a cover as awesome as this one was just what I needed. There were pieces of the book that lost me a little bit in their attention to scientific detail, but overall the writing was sharp and often funny, as well as thoro More...

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Dec 17, 2009

Robert rated it:

Maybe I'm just getting old, but mutants just don't interest me the way they used to do.

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May 22, 2011

Chip rated it:

4.5. Extremely interesting look at mankind, what is "normal", and what is not. Chapters include: embryos, limbs, skeletons, growth, gender, skin and even aging (e,g,, mutations resulting in accelerated aging; query whether issues related to/resulting from aging are in fact the result of mutations not breed out of us by natural selection due to them, by definition, only becoming issues after people have typically already had children). Even the epilogue, focusing on "racial" More...

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Jul 31, 2011

Anita rated it:

I am decidedly a liberal arts kind of woman. I managed to cram enough science into my head to make it (barely) through college and then promptly forgot all of it. Much science seems like magic to me, a sentiment that makes me sound really dumb, but I’m okay with that (though I do need to mention that I understand how magnets work). So it was a little bit of a shock when I realized this was not a book about carny folk and old side-show acts that featured “freaks.” I was intimidated by the book an More...

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Jun 17, 2010

Amanda rated it:

Leroi's book on the genetic errors that cause various 'mutations' is an engrossing read. Thoughout the book, he details the problems that can cause an incredible variety of life. He also tells the stories of various people who suffered or blossomed under the mantle of their genetic gift.

He also brings up a very interesting point. All humans, no matter how perfect the outside package is, are to some extent, a mutant. The variety of ways that our genetic code's errors are displayed are More...

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Feb 11, 2012

g-na rated it:

This is a very interesting book about different common, and some not-so-common, mutations found in our species. However, I found that the book went too into the science and genetics behind the mutations (a very odd criticism from me!) when I really wanted to hear about more examples. And sadly, this book contained very few photos, and what pictures it had were of poor quality. Ideally, this book would have contained many large-size, good quality photographs.

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Oct 23, 2009

Jlelliott rated it:

I originally met most of the diseases covered in this book during medical school. I found my academic knowledge of these disorders matured into a much greater understanding with the help of the history and personal stories provided by Leroi. Mutants is well-written, entertaining, and well-cited. The scientific and medical information is well presented and explained in a way that should be understandable to lay people but is not obnoxious to those more familiar with the subjects. Leroi brings to More...

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Mar 17, 2011

Lale rated it:

If any of you have even a vague interest in medicine or genetics, or just a niggling desire to know why things happen, this book is for you. It deals with numerous conditions associated with mutation in humans: osteogenesis imperfecta, albinism, Huntington’s, conjoined twins, dwarfism, and there’s even a chapter on ageing.

What makes Leroi’s coverage of these conditions even more interesting is the real life examples interspersed through the text, from court dwarves to the Elephant Ma More...

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Aug 06, 2011

Jek rated it:

Lest you think I am some sort of freakshow and carny fan,let me tell you that I had hopeful and high expectations for this title. I wanted something more than photos and descriptions of sideshow people and I definitely got it from this book.

This is an excellent read. Clever, informative, creative and more than interesting. The organization of how it reads is well thought out with good intentions from both a genetic and historical viewpoint.

Armand Marie Leroi carries you thro More...

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Dec 29, 2010

Courtney rated it:

This is a great book for someone with a little bit of background in genetics, or possibly none at all. Leroi is fabulous at describing the biological processes that result in a variety of mutations. I took issue with the chapter on sex and gender, which treats those with mutations related to sex and gender as freaks to be pitied, while the rest of the book is much more respectful of genetic variation.

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May 26, 2011

Genetic Cuckoo rated it:

A wonderfully well written book, enjoyable and full of illustrations. It discussed the history of 'mutants' not just from the social but the biological point of view, it's simply wonderful reading for any biology or medical students. Human development and how it can go wrong has never been so interesting.

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Dec 17, 2007

Arabella rated it:

This is a fascinating book - it really showed me the miracle that is the human body and that we are each of us a seething mass of mutated genes; it's just that some have more visible impact than others.

This book also gave me a much better understanding of the role that genetics play in who we are, how we age, and other aspects of our lives. It helped me better understand what the genetic scientists are doing with their experiments and the positive impacts this could have on our live More...

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Nov 06, 2010

Hillary rated it:

This book was phenomenal! Mind you, it wasn't for the feint of heart, because the disturbing parts about it revolved around the fact that it is a non-fiction work. I've learned more about genetics and biological anomalies in the days that I read this book than I did in a full year of a genetics class I took in high school. It sticks with you, and the breaks in the chapters allow you to gather your thoughts before you continue on. I recommend this highly. Absolutely one of the most fascinati More...

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Jul 24, 2010

Katina rated it:

How did I find this book? Why did it end up on my "to read" list? These are questions I find myself asking now, but that's not to say I was disappointed by picking this up.

Leroi's book centers on the premise that we're all (genetic) mutants - to varying degrees. He focuses on some outliers in the human spectrum (families entirely covered in fine downy hair, the Elephant Man, dwarfs, cretins etc) but explains how these dramatic mutations are just variants on what makes on More...

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Jan 23, 2010

Chris rated it:

Written in language a layman can understand, this book talks about human embryo development and explains what and how the process can go wrong. The author has a wry style and makes what could be a gruesome subject very interesting. Gives examples mutations through history.

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Jul 02, 2011

Annie rated it:

Fascinating book, heavy on the genetics, embryology and physiology. It really needed a beginning chapter on basic genetics for those not familiar with the science, and I would have preferred a statement that not all mutations are bad. Some are beneficial and contribute to evolution of a species by making it more adapted to survive it's environment. To mutate is to change, and not all change is deleterious.

What message should come through after reading this book is that there are infin More...

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Aug 01, 2007

Melody rated it:

Fascinating book but some portions are a little too scientific for me. That's the point of the book, to explain genetically why there are "mutations" etc. I'm curious to know but it's beyond my mental capacity to grasp some of the explanations. I can't even picture what I'm reading in my head. And I'm sure the writer has "dummied" it down quite a bit as it is. I think if you have the slightest grasp of science (which I don't), especially things related to genetics...DNA.. More...

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