It was the most radical human-breeding experiment in American history, and no one knew how it turned out. The Repository for Germinal Choice–...
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Jul 02, 2010
Goldenwattle
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Although this book appears well researched and the subject seriously treated, there is an underlying inference that the clinic's ideals were a bit of a joke. "Great delusions" "The strange experiment" "The Nobel sperm bank may not have met the world's expectations." (These are just a quick selection from the final pages.) But then, according to the book's own admittance, before this sperm bank existed, choice was limited - eye colour if you were lucky. After the Nob
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May 27, 2009
Tricia
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Jan 19, 2011
Kimberly
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Slightly akin to Hitler's ideology of the "master race", an erratic scientist decides to collect the sperm of "smart people" and impregnate other "smart people" to create a race of "smarter people" to be the intelligent guiding force for a "new tomorrow".
Except, some of those supposed "smart sperm donors" were actually shockingly average. The fatherless children become disillusioned when they trace their genetic linage and find that th More...
Except, some of those supposed "smart sperm donors" were actually shockingly average. The fatherless children become disillusioned when they trace their genetic linage and find that th More...
Dec 22, 2007
Stephen
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This looks like a popular science book, or another instalment in the endless nature/nurture debate. But in fact it's a very moving story of children plentiful and their parents and vice versa. What actually struck me the most is that intelligence doesn't make you happy-unless it is of the emotional kind
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Feb 05, 2009
Critics are split on whether the book, which emerged from a series of articles Plotz wrote for Slate, is better when it focuses on personal stories or when it discusses the larger issues. The light tone that Plotz takes is never disrespectful. The author's seeming ambivalence about the genetic component of intelligence, and the lack of scientific context, might leave the reader equally undecided about both the morality and feasibility of this exercise in voluntary eugenics. In any event, the sto
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Aug 29, 2011
Hemant
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Thouroughly researched and documented this book is an account of the sperm bank established by Robert Graham with the sole purpose of improving the future race by donating the sperms of nobel prize winners (and High IQ males) to the women who were tested for IQ beforehand.
Robert Graham himself a genious disgusted by the mediocricity stumbled upon this idea (similar to hitler's Eugenics campaign but subtler in intesity of operation) and established the sperm bank.He was convinced that the More...
Robert Graham himself a genious disgusted by the mediocricity stumbled upon this idea (similar to hitler's Eugenics campaign but subtler in intesity of operation) and established the sperm bank.He was convinced that the More...
May 03, 2011
Melissa
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FANTASTIC. I can't rave enough about it. Fascinating. I'd just assumed that smarter people made smarter babies just by virtue of DNA. And while you think you'd get the answer here, you find out maybe you aren't getting that answer after all. This story got me interested in a number of ancillary things, like how smart people can make very big mistakes if they're really fervent proponents of something they believe strongly in, and an examination of positive eugenics in addition to the negativ
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May 15, 2011
The story of the Nobel Prize Sperm Bank, created by a rich entrepreneur who thought that the human genome was being forever compromised because the less intelligent were still allowed to breed. Goes beyond that initial wackiness, however, to explore the children resulting from the sperm bank, what they had become as teenagers, and how they felt upon meeting their biological fathers. Brings up all kinds of complex ethical conundrums surrounding sperm donation and the children brought into this wo
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Mar 16, 2008
Robin
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"Just like the first Nobel sperm bank customers, we are captive to the great delusion that we can control our children, that we can make them what we want them to be, rather than what they are."
"There's nothing worse than a wish unfulfilled, except a wish fulfilled."
These two quotes sum up the gyst of what this book is primarily about. It's what happens when some baby-hungry women go shopping for superior genetic material by which to harvest the next More...
"There's nothing worse than a wish unfulfilled, except a wish fulfilled."
These two quotes sum up the gyst of what this book is primarily about. It's what happens when some baby-hungry women go shopping for superior genetic material by which to harvest the next More...
Aug 16, 2007
Deborah
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Browsing Stanford's student bookstore, I came across this title: a curious blend of history and detective reporting and, and knew I had to read it. If you can't wait to find the book, large portions of it began as a series of articles in the internet magazine, Slate, and can be read online. Plotz's interest in the "Noble Sperm Bank" or more exactly the Repository for Germinal Choice, led to an article that encouraged people involved in the project, donors - mothers - children, to conta
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Jun 16, 2010
Emily
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I listened to this book on audiotape. The subject is interesting, you learn about The Noble Prize Sperm Bank, a.k.a. "The Repository for Germinal Choice", and their quest for spreading 'intellegent genes'. You also learn about the practice of eugenics, and the lives of babies produced from said clinic, their parents, the donor and the consequences of such an endevour.
The book can be a bit dry and read like a textbook at times and the author's style of describing the families rea More...
The book can be a bit dry and read like a textbook at times and the author's style of describing the families rea More...
Mar 16, 2011
Teresa
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In his book, Plotz traces the philosophical origins of what was commonly called “the Nobel Prize Sperm Bank” and explains just how it failed to live up to his vision. He tells fascinating stories of donors, parents, and children and the mystery that surrounds their unusual, invisible relationship. He even shares a bit about his own small adventure in sperm donation.
Although I found the personal stories really interesting, what I enjoyed most about this book was the way Plotz weaved in More...
Although I found the personal stories really interesting, what I enjoyed most about this book was the way Plotz weaved in More...
Nov 20, 2008
Jennifer
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Finally a non-fiction book that wasn't dry as dust and actually readable. This wasn't a stand-out book, but it was interesting and the author did a pretty good job of bringing the story to life. One of the only drawbacks was the way the book skipped around from story to story, abandoning one in the middle only to pick up the thread of that narrative several chapters later. I am pretty sure the author did that deliberately to try to create anticipation and leave the reader curious and eager to ke
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Apr 07, 2010
MikeFromQueens
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Kind of interesting in that I was new to this subject. Probably not the best way to learn about an actual "nature versus nurture" research project, though that wasn't the purpose of the sperm bank, but it fed some of my suspicions. I found it interesting in a weird kind-of way.
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Oct 07, 2009
Tammy
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What a strange concept! It as interesting book in regards to the idea that some people want to choose characteristics of their babies based on "intelligence". I am glad that this project did not fully succeed...where has humanity gone when we choose our loved ones in this fashion?
May 29, 2009
Joy
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This is an excellent example of how I will try reading almost anything if the writing is sufficiently engaging. The book itself is only a moderately interesting look at eugenics and parenting, but I did finish it (skimming some bits) with an interest in trying more of Plotz's writing.
Jun 30, 2008
Christina
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LOVED IT!
Don't let the word "history" in the subtitle scare you. Though Plotz thoroughly recounts the sperm bank's history, he keeps it moving and interesting at every turn. He puts everything in helpful perspective. It's eye opening how new the sperm-bank industry is...and I couldn't believe some of the crazy laws that existed not so long ago calling for sterilization of the "unfit." Even the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of it once! "Genius Factor" More...
Don't let the word "history" in the subtitle scare you. Though Plotz thoroughly recounts the sperm bank's history, he keeps it moving and interesting at every turn. He puts everything in helpful perspective. It's eye opening how new the sperm-bank industry is...and I couldn't believe some of the crazy laws that existed not so long ago calling for sterilization of the "unfit." Even the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of it once! "Genius Factor" More...
Apr 26, 2010
Christina
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Did a sperm bank, hawking Nobel Laureate genes in the 80s and 90s, succeed in reversing the retrograde evolution of mankind? No it didn't and shame on it's founders for their racism and bad science. Disgraceful. Pacing of this book is a bit slow.
Jul 26, 2011
2009- I thought this would read like an overly long newspaper article, but it was actually better than that. I liked how the author included medical history and was actually able to talk to some of the children and donors.
Jan 22, 2010
Caroline
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Oh, how nutty people become when they start thinking about babies. Super-brainiac babies with good teeth and radiant personalities. Eugenics and racism and mothers wanting the best for their kids, it's all here. Except, of course, the science. David Plotz does a great job with the personal side, the history, and does a magnificent job of protecting the innocent and exposing the creepy. He touches on the science of why the idea is so bizarre in the first place, but I wish there was more developme
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Dec 29, 2008
Shylo
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This was a thought-provoking book about the business and ethics of fertility, but I wished it had included foot or end notes for further investigation.
Jul 22, 2009
Cody
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Faqscinating history of what may have been one of the biggest scams in history! I would suggest anyone that reads it will like it.
Sep 27, 2008
Joh
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it's interesting to read about someone who is trying to apply evolution to the human race. as a biologist, the changes graham was hoping to occur would take centuries; microevolution is exactly as it sounds. did he take this into effect?
note, there are biologists who argue we stopped evolving when agriculture and air-conditioning were invented.
it also displays the poor understanding of genetics at it's time. graham may have been smart, but i think he was poorly informed. More...
note, there are biologists who argue we stopped evolving when agriculture and air-conditioning were invented.
it also displays the poor understanding of genetics at it's time. graham may have been smart, but i think he was poorly informed. More...
Jul 12, 2010
Jose
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fascinating. great audio book. abridged, but in this case i think that's okay. incredible these eugenicists....
May 18, 2010
Sarah
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Interesting - about the Nobel Prize sperm bank, and the donors, recipients, and kids involved with it.
Jun 20, 2009
Topher
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A history of the Repository for Germinal Choice - aka the "Nobel Prize Sperm Bank". Decent read, enjoyable.
May 16, 2009
Mandi Lee
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poorly written, interesting story/history. Content of book is slightly suggestive.
Mar 20, 2011
Page
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I got bogged down during some parts but thought the parts about the children searching for their donor fathers interesting.
