Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “The Better Half: On the Genetic Superiority of Women” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

The Better Half: On the Genetic Superiority of Women

Sharon Moalem (Goodreads Author)

3.97 · Rating details · 324 ratings · 74 reviews

A Guardian Book of the Week
Longlisted for the PEN / E. O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award

An award-winning physician and scientist makes the game-changing case that genetic females are stronger than males at every stage of life

Here are some facts: Women live longer than men. They have stronger immune systems. They're better at fighting cancer and surviving famine, an ...more

Get A Copy

Hardcover, 288 pages

Published April 7th 2020 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about The Better Half, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Gathering Blossoms Under Fire by Alice Walker

The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly by Jamie Pacton

A Black Women's History of the United States by Daina Ramey Berry

Feminist interest 2020

201 books — 49 voters

The Blindspots Between Us by Gleb Tsipursky

The Singularity is Nearer by Ray Kurzweil

Science Published in Year: 2020

119 books — 34 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 3.97 ·

Rating details

· 324 ratings · 74 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of The Better Half: On the Genetic Superiority of Women

Dec 29, 2019 Martha rated it it was amazing

I received an advance copy to review and I have to say that as a woman, I was actually surprised at the number of things I learned from this book that I was never taught in school. I really hadn't understood that women benefit from having two X chromosomes over their whole lives, strengthening their immune systems and even helping them fight some kinds of cancer more effectively than males. I loved how the author explained that two X chromosomes gives females more genetic 'options' to choose fro ...more

flag 15 likes · Like · see review

May 07, 2020 Ariel ✨ added it

I'm not sure how to rate this! If you found your way here after reading SCUM or Hothead Paisan, you've been misled. Dr. Sharon Moalem mixes personal stories with historical anecdotes and genetics to find different ways to say, "the X chromosome has more genetic diversity to draw on in the event of a problem," and "sex differences allow genetic females to survive in adverse conditions for a longer amount of time." He uses both "women" and "genetic females" when discussing people with XX chromosom ...more

flag 12 likes · Like · see review

Apr 03, 2020 Brinley Harrington rated it it was amazing

This is a great book for anyone who has an inkling of scientific interest. The book tackles a topic that is hard to write about anyways but puts it into a format that you can't put down. Not only is it informative but it is easy to read and the author explains everything, so even if you are not scientifically inclined or have that knowledge you will be able to understand. The book focuses on how the two X chromosomes in women give a genetic advantage when it comes to genetic choice against men. ...more

flag 11 likes · Like · see review

Apr 22, 2020 Brianna rated it liked it

This is sort of a strange book. One the one hand, it highlights some recent research about sex differences in morbidity and mortality that might be linked to the possession of XX vs XY chromosomes, which is its main goal, but on the other hand it projects a sensationalist and at times perverse narrative style that necessarily distorts many of the findings. I’m going to focus on this aspect of the book because the science is pretty straightforward. This narrative style is basically to define a me This is sort of a strange book. One the one hand, it highlights some recent research about sex differences in morbidity and mortality that might be linked to the possession of XX vs XY chromosomes, which is its main goal, but on the other hand it projects a sensationalist and at times perverse narrative style that necessarily distorts many of the findings. I’m going to focus on this aspect of the book because the science is pretty straightforward. This narrative style is basically to define a meaningless term, in this case it’s “genetic superiority,” in such a way as to lead you to the inevitability of the author’s conclusion as indicated in the title. Moalem actually defines “genetic superiority” to mean advantages in longevity and immunity, and then proceeds to show how males are more vulnerable than females, on average, in this context. He argues strongly that this difference arises mainly in possessing two X chromosomes versus one.

It has been known for a long time that recessive X-linked disorders, for instance, are more common in males. These include conditions like color blindness, hemophilia, and some developmental disorders. Additionally, mosaicism of the X chromosome in female cells might provide them some advantages in immune functioning, and this research is a little more recent. These findings are very interesting and especially topical in the current climate. But they are not really that controversial, in my view. I have heard about them for years in classes, literature, and textbooks when doing my PhD work in biomedical science. It has been long proposed to explain, along with many other factors, the differences in longevity between men and women. On that front, the book has merit and brings some interesting facts to light. The only controversial point is that Moalem almost completely neglects that social factors, such as lifestyle or work differences, could be partly responsible. He mentions it a few times, but doesn’t give it the consideration it deserves in my view. Nevertheless, no overall problems with the information presented.

His language and narrative style is really the issue here. “Genetic superiority” is a silly term and not a real concept in biology. Define the criteria however you like and force whatever conclusion you want. The question is should we even have a criteria for such a concept at all? I understand he has a precise definition he is using, but it sows confusion in my view. From a biological and evolutionary perspective, organisms face different challenges and adapt differently to their environments, and so males and females adapted to different challenges to perpetuate their genes and represent two evolved strategies for that purpose. Organisms will compromise their longevity for benefits in other areas, and those compromises come out differently for males and females of many organisms. Do we argue for the “genetic superiority” of males because they are faster, stronger, have higher lung capacity, more red blood cells, greater psychomotor capacity, less likely to have depression, better spatial abilities, have higher pain tolerance, etc? Or how about the “genetic superiority” of whites over blacks because they are less likely to get diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and live longer? Already you can see the issue with this invidious language, as it encourages a kind of divisive thinking and differential valuation of groups. And if you think a book with the opposite title (which could be written with evidence of the differences favoring males mentioned above) would not generate enormous outrage for exactly this reason, I have a bridge to sell you.

Don’t get me wrong, the book is an interesting read and I don’t doubt at all that Moalem has good intentions at heart, despite the problematic way he chose to frame the issue. But ultimately I didn’t necessarily learn anything that new or surprising. There’s interesting science here, but the presentation often leaves much to be desired. ...more

flag 8 likes · Like · see review

Jan 21, 2020 Camille Pum rated it it was amazing

I won this book in the giveaway! Sharon Moalem presents a good deal of statistical and factual proof to back their claims and easily kept my interest. Awesome read!

flag 8 likes · Like · see review

Jun 23, 2020 Violet rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2020-books

I loved this book! It was very accessible, but very informative. I loved learning about chromosomes, the specificities of the female body and its genetics and I was amazed by how little I actually know about it. Reading it I felt like I was discovering some superpowers I have and didn't know about - my immune system works better than the average man's, I can resist a famine better, I will recover faster from an injury... It was amazing to imagine the "silent" chromosomes jumping into action when ...more

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Apr 09, 2020 Christine rated it it was amazing

Shelves: non-fiction, audio-book

It turns out that two X chromosomes offer a powerful survival advantage.
Dr. Sharon Moalem explains why, to those of us who are not medical professionals, in clear, understandable terms. He explains his research and gives interesting case histories. Highly recommended. I always love a writer who reads his own book.

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

Jan 17, 2020 Erika Kraus rated it it was amazing

Shelves: goodreads-giveaway

I won this book in the giveaway! Sharon Moalem has done their reserch for this book based on science, genetics and the wonderful ways women are successful. A must-read!

flag 6 likes · Like · see review

May 14, 2020 Bri rated it it was amazing

This is an absolutely fantastic read. Not written in the tone of "women are the best" or really any sort of feminist lens, this takes it down to strictly the benefits of having a diplo set of sex-linked chromosomes (XX in female humans, ZZ in male birds, for example) and the genetic benefits that come from having a backup copy of each gene on the chromosome. This was a riveting read and fantastic narrative of why more medical and pharmacological studies need to include female subjects (mice, cel ...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Apr 11, 2020 Laura rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

An image exists in fiction and our cultural hivemind of the weak woman. Incapable of survival without male guardianship, too frail to lift anything heavier than a baby, too feeble for feats of endurance. It’s nonsense, but the myth persists. Enter stage left Dr Sharon Moalem. Drawing on experience and research as a medic, geneticist and specialist in rare diseases, Moalem explores in The Better Half why women (or rather, XX chromosome carriers) consistently outperform men (respectively XY carrie An image exists in fiction and our cultural hivemind of the weak woman. Incapable of survival without male guardianship, too frail to lift anything heavier than a baby, too feeble for feats of endurance. It’s nonsense, but the myth persists. Enter stage left Dr Sharon Moalem. Drawing on experience and research as a medic, geneticist and specialist in rare diseases, Moalem explores in The Better Half why women (or rather, XX chromosome carriers) consistently outperform men (respectively XY carriers) in areas such as immunity, stamina, and adaptability.

It is a thought-provoking premise, that genetically speaking bodies that carry XX chromosomes are stronger than those with XY (or by extension, any variation where only one X is present). I found it exceptionally well paired with Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez. In her book Perez talks about ‘male default thinking’ - the assumption that the male experience is the default, and everything female is an add-on. The Better Half does something similar in examining the assumption that male bodies are stronger, and everything female is a handicap. It’s a fascinating exploration not only of the survival advantages XX entails, but the clear need for reconsidering the male-centric view of the human body throughout science and medicine. Just why do women cope with disease better? Why are they unlikely to be colourblind? And why do women suffer more auto-immune conditions?

For the most part the writing is accessible, suffice to say that even I - nought but a lowly film grad - could understand the science. However, there were moments where it felt Moalem couldn't fix on which ‘mode’ to write in. The established specialist addressing their peers, or as easy and breezy pop-science? There were a few tangents, and a couple of paragraphs that I had to double read. That said, after I had finished the initial text and skimmed through the notes and references there were the expansions I had needed. So I don’t know if this is really an issue with the book, or just that I read it as an eBook. Someone with a print version tell me if there are footnotes instead of a notes section.

On the topic of accessibility I have to veer off into Gender Politics for a bit. When I read the title and summary I did worry The Better Half would be ‘terfy’ - endorsing Trans Exclusionary Radical Feminist views on gender and sex. If you had that same worry, you really don’t need to. While not much page space if given to trans or intersex bodies, very early on Moalem draws a sharp line between a person’s gender identity and their genetic sex. This book is concerned with the contents of your chromosomes, not the contents of your pants.

I haven’t been able to get The Better Half out of my head since finishing it (particularly the immunity part). I’ve already mentioned Invisible Women, I’d also recommend this to anyone who enjoyed The Gendered Brain by Gina Rippon, and/or Inferior by Angel Saini. To everyone else, if you’ve ever looked at a female anglerfish or spider and wondered why nature endowed them with size and survivability over their male counterparts, this is a book for you.

I received my copy through NetGalley in exchange for a review, all opinions my own etc etc ...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Mar 18, 2020 And On She Reads rated it really liked it · review of another edition

There is an immense amount of power in this book. The strength that Sharon Moalem shows through her personal experiences and through her research is as supportive as it is fascinating, and you feel as if you are almost witnessing a change in yourself as you read, almost unwittingly, sucked in by the power of this book. It is utterly intriguing, and there is so much to be gained from reading it.

At times I felt I was sitting there with my eyebrows raised, but every statement was backed up with va ...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Dec 21, 2019 Peter Z. rated it did not like it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Jan 13, 2020 Jim rated it really liked it

I won and advanced copy of this book on Goodreads. A fascinating and intriguing read. I always felt too that women genetically seem a lot more heartier and stronger. Not meaning physically but being able to ward off certain diseases and overall seem healthier and recover quicker. After all, we all know women live longer than men in general. A very interesting topic that blends medicine, science and a lot of examples throughout history.

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Aug 27, 2020 Annie rated it liked it

Although it became a little repetitive, I learned quite a lot so this was a worthwhile read. Moalem does a good job acknowledging the gender data gap and providing medical terminology and examples in a way that was easy to understand.

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Aug 30, 2020 Jan Peregrine rated it it was amazing

The Better Half: On The Genetic Superiority Of Women~~

I've just enjoyed my third nonfiction book by Sharon Moalem, MD, Phd. The first was The Survival of the Sickest and the second How Sex Works. This one is 2020's The Better Half: On The Genetic Superiority of Women. Moalem is a male physician renowned around the world for creating vital antibiotics in this time of antibiotic overuse and resistance. He wants to save the human race from pandemics if he can, but he needs our ears. He needs us to The Better Half: On The Genetic Superiority Of Women~~

I've just enjoyed my third nonfiction book by Sharon Moalem, MD, Phd. The first was The Survival of the Sickest and the second How Sex Works. This one is 2020's The Better Half: On The Genetic Superiority of Women. Moalem is a male physician renowned around the world for creating vital antibiotics in this time of antibiotic overuse and resistance. He wants to save the human race from pandemics if he can, but he needs our ears. He needs us to listen.

It is no joke for him to declare that women are genetically superior to men.

It's the biological truth. It's science. Women have two X chromosomes giving them far more genetic diversity while men have one X chromosome only they must rely on. When there's a genetic mutation, women can use their other X chromosome. Men can't.

Moalem explains that this is why women around the world win at resilience, intellect, stamina, immunity, and more. They live longer, even if as premature twins. They survive famines when man can't. They get much less of the cancers both sexes get and much less heart disease and infections. Women have such hypervigilant immune systems they're more prone to autoimmune diseases and Alzheimer's, but much less autism and neurological disorders..

I learned that there are only 100 females born for every 105 males. This is because females are more difficult to make, requiring one X chromosome to be silenced for fetal growth and this often fails to go right. Most miscarriages are for females. The silenced X is partly active, however, after birth, giving women genetic diversity.

The main point of Moalem's book is to help us understand that the sexes need to be treated medically according to their sex.

Women react much more dramatically to drugs and vaccines than men.

Our donated organs need to come from the same sexed patient

He tells about his wife and him getting typhoid shots together. She had a strong response that made her sick and sore, but he didn't and contracted typhoid while she didn't.

He talks about how only male rats would be sent him at his lab and he'd have to special order female rats. There's significant differences in how even female rats respond to drugs and that can be dangerous or ineffective for human females.

Remember this: women's digestive system works slower than a man's. Women need to wait longer to take medication that';s supposed to be taken on an empty stomach.

Fascinating book and highly recommended! . ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Mar 30, 2020 Esther King rated it liked it

This was a fascinating book about the biological differences between AFAB and AMAB bodies, and how there seems to be a prevalence of women who manage to outlive the men in their lives. It swings between examination of quantitative and qualitative research in an effort to highlight the difference between types of bodies, giving the reader an encompassing view of the many facets surrounding biology. The chromosomal partiality to genetic conditions such as colourblindness was fascinating, and the I ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Jul 15, 2020 Tanya rated it it was amazing

Shelves: nonfic

I would say it's a pretty fun read considering it's a nonfiction book (but I'm also kinda nerdy, so take that into consideration). I wouldn't suggest reading this if you have little boys, you might be a little heartbroken about the potential health problems they could have just by being born with XY chromosomes. But if you are a woman that needs a pick me up, this book might just do it for you.

I've known for a while that medical care and more (hello, seat-belts/cars where not designed for women) ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Apr 25, 2020 Colin Marks rated it it was amazing

Shelves: non-fiction, e-book, netgalley

Men have XY chromosomes, women have two Xs. That extra X gives women a level of redundancy - if something bad happens, whether that be dodgy DNA or an infectious disease, the female body can chose between those two Xs and select the stronger. As a result, women live longer and healthier lives.

That's the jist of the Better Half - but Sharon goes into various anecdotes and case studies, though often a bit too deep into medicine for a lay person. Some of the conclusions seem a little stretched, suc ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Apr 04, 2020 Gayle Noble rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, arcs-free-review-copy, own-kindle, feminism, science

Across the world, once variables have been adjusted for, having the double X chromosome seems to confer a better immune response and longevity than XY, but conversely means they are more likely to suffer autoimmune conditions. The author takes a look at how and why genetic females seem to have a distinct advantage when it comes to survival.

A fascinating look at the advantages and disadvantages of having double X chromosomes, and how science and medicine has let us all down by historically not i ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Sep 02, 2020 Celeste rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 1-g-non-fiction, 2-sub-g-feminism

3/5 Stars.

I can't help but laugh at those males who are proud of their Y chromosome. The fact that they are proud of something that makes them weaker is pretty fucking hilarious.

But this book was an ok read.

While I appreciate the research that the author has done for this book, I still find it pretty repetitive and redundant.

This book is very scientific albeit very digestible. But the author repeats himself quite a lot and I personally didn't find the anecdotes presented in it that interestin ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Dec 24, 2020 Laura added it · review of another edition

Shelves: did-not-finish

The Better Half has some really interesting facts and information in it – the kind I found myself repeating to friends whenever I spoke to them. However I struggled to continue reading past around the half way point. I think I just found it a little repetitive and the stories and anecdotes that accompany many of the facts didn’t grab my attention.

It’s definitely got some interesting information and it provoked a lot of thought in me as I read it, but it’s also a book I found myself impatient to ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Nov 24, 2020 Ryan Lane rated it really liked it

Great book a lot of interesting topics

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Jul 21, 2020 Justine rated it it was ok

Contains a lot of interesting information on genetics and neuroscience, but unfortunately the organization wasn't great, and the interesting information often seemed like long tangents that were only minimally connected to the point being made. Lacks evolutionary and social context. The thesis itself, that women are genetically superior, was often vaguely addressed, and most approached/framed as "XY males have the deck stacked against them from birth to death" rather than "this, that, and the ot ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Aug 31, 2020 Carin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-books, macmillan, medical, science, feminism

I was already intrigued by this book but after the author wrote this article in the New York Times, I was determined to read it. After all, why are more men dying of COVID-19? I know that in every place I've ever seen average life expectancies, regardless of era or culture, women always outstrip men by several years. I joke with other girlfriends about how our male spouses seem just decimated by simple colds when we keep on truckin'. But maybe there's something to that?

Now, Dr. Maolem doesn't ad I was already intrigued by this book but after the author wrote this article in the New York Times, I was determined to read it. After all, why are more men dying of COVID-19? I know that in every place I've ever seen average life expectancies, regardless of era or culture, women always outstrip men by several years. I joke with other girlfriends about how our male spouses seem just decimated by simple colds when we keep on truckin'. But maybe there's something to that?

Now, Dr. Maolem doesn't address "the man cold" specifically, but his other conclusion lead me to believe that it might be a real thing. After all, women's immunological systems are stronger, which is why it hurts so much when I get my last tetanus booster but my husband didn't recall his being a big deal. And women are, in general, healthier.

Let me back up. It all boils down to the two X chromosomes. Because genetic women have two, when there's an error or bad gene on one, we usually can fall back on the other. Genetic men cannot. In addition, in certain areas, such as the parts of our bodies that produce antibodies, we likely have 2 Xs in operation, leading to more diversity among the antibody production, which leads to more options and better outcomes. Genetic males, with only one X, don't have these options. Sadly, the Y seems to make a penis and testosterone, and nothing else. It's a tiny, pretty useless chromosome. And it means that men get X-related problems like color blindness, whereas woman sometimes can have super color vision, allowing them to see ten times the number of colors a typical person can see, and even to see a fourth color beyond the standard three (like birds do.)

Before anyone jumps on this book for bias, I should note that Dr. Moalem is himself male.

And obviously, he's very enlightened, to investigate the differences between the genetics of men and women to see what advantages women have. In the past, when the differences were acknowledged at all, it was only to point out disadvantages women's genetics give us (hormonal, difficult for drug testing). But by looking at the advantages, we might be able to help ALL humans live longer and better lives.

Of course, there aren't only advantages. There's always a flip side. Women do get autoimmune diseases at a dramatically higher rate than men, due to our strong immune systems that can sometimes backfire, and there are a few other diseases like Alzheimer's which strike genetic women more often. Then there's the fact that since up until a few years ago, drugs were only tested on male mice and male people, the dosages for women might be way off, if they work for women at all (and don't maybe cause women extreme harm!)

Tons of fascinating facts, from why cats and dogs produce their own vitamin C, to how elephants stave off cancer despite being both incredibly large (the more cells you have, the more likely one of them is to go rouge) and their long lives (the longer you live, the more likely you are to get cancer.) If you like armchair science at all, this is incredibly accessible and truly interesting. ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Oct 11, 2020 Kris rated it it was amazing

Shelves: own, kindle, hardcover

Do not be lulled into believing this book is an argument for feminism. It is the scientific celebration of biological differences on the miniscule level. I originally won a hardcopy through #GoodReadsGiveaway; but, due to the Covid outbreak, the book took quite a while to arrive. In the meantime, I got impatient. I REALLY wanted to read this book. So, I bought a second copy online. Every time I put the book down, someone else in the family would run off with it. So, it's probably a good thing, I Do not be lulled into believing this book is an argument for feminism. It is the scientific celebration of biological differences on the miniscule level. I originally won a hardcopy through #GoodReadsGiveaway; but, due to the Covid outbreak, the book took quite a while to arrive. In the meantime, I got impatient. I REALLY wanted to read this book. So, I bought a second copy online. Every time I put the book down, someone else in the family would run off with it. So, it's probably a good thing, I purchased a back-up. Otherwise, I would have never finished it.

As it is, I read the book a second time.

Moalem's credentials are beyond dispute. He is not only perfect for covering the subject; he writes in a style that takes science and makes it digestible for those of us who can't begin to understand genetics. It is a homage to looking at sex and the genes that normally 'define' sex in a much broader sense. From the standpoint that XX provides unique opportunities that XY doesn't. From the obvious (childbirth) to more subtle abilities.

This book is so perfect for this time & place in human development. It opens doors for mothers, daughters, nieces, and gives them the tools to feel good about who they are. Regardless of how they identify.

My original intent in wanting this book? Self-education. I come from a family where generation after generation, the women suffer from horrible, debilitating & deadly auto-immune diseases. Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis. For the longest time, I felt I had been spared...until a Leukemia diagnosis nearly 3 yrs ago. This book, gave me back not only a measure of control; but hope. With doctors like Moalem working to not only understand diseases, but how our bodies are adapted to make the best of a bad situation.

I could easily offer examples and spoilers; but, the reader deserves to bring their own personal experience to this encounter, unhindered by my interpretations. Please, Please consider investing in this book. Not only for the science, but for the insight Moalem brings to having practiced medicine for so long. I have already gifted one of my copies to a high school science teacher. My own 18 yr old twins have also read it (to mixed reviews of course!). I have already finished reading sections a second time & have post-it tabs throughout. But the general consensus is that this in an incredible find.
Thank-you Mr. Moalem & Farrar, Straus and Giroux for offering up this giveaway. This is one of my 2020 Top 5 books for making science accessible! ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Jun 21, 2020 Mephistia rated it it was amazing

I was nervous about reading this. There's a lot of anti-trans stuff out there lately, and I wasn't sure about reading something with a title like that -- it sounds very radically feminist, and inflammatory, and trans*-erasy. I was definitely nervous about reading this book.

But. I don't believe in avoiding information just because it's uncomfortable or potentially unpopular, and I do believe in assessing the trustworthiness and validity of the research, source, and claim for myself as best I can. ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Mar 26, 2020 Michelle Best rated it really liked it

An interesting and accessible look at the various ways in which females (genetically speaking) have the advantage. This is NOT a feminist manifesto simply a look at the ways that having two x chromosomes gives females an advantage in many ways.

The book is well structured with each chapter taking a look at a different aspect of female superiority.
e.g development, immunity, brain function, resilience, longevity.

There was a nice balance between scientific explanation and real life examples from th ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Aug 14, 2020 Candace Rollins rated it it was amazing

It's been 4 decades since I studied genetics in high school and college, but Dr. Moalem's writing made it easy to understand, even with all the advances since Bb. This book explained a lot about the natural resistance many woman have to disease and cancer and why that is so. Extremely interesting and being a non-fiction book and scientific it was a page turner. ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Apr 07, 2020 Amandainwonderland rated it really liked it · review of another edition

An interesting read. We’re taught that males are the stronger gender, certainly genetically speaking. This book explores an abundance of evidence both biological and environmental based. I’d particularly recommend if your are interested in feminist literature.

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Jan 20, 2020 Laura Luzzi rated it really liked it

Shelves: giveaway, science

Genetics are fascinating to me, so I really enjoyed this book with all the different stories.

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend It | Stats | Recent Status Updates

Readers also enjoyed

See similar books…

Genres

Nonfiction

43 users

Science

40 users

Feminism

24 users

Medical

6 users

Gender

5 users

Health > Medicine

4 users

Biology > Genetics

3 users

Womens

3 users

Science > Popular Science

2 users

Education

2 users

See top shelves…

About Sharon Moalem

Sharon Moalem

168 followers

Sharon Moalem, MD, PhD, is an award-winning physician-scientist and geneticist. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller Survival of the Sickest and Inheritance, an Amazon Best Science Book of the Year, among other books. His work brings together evolution, genetics, and medicine to revolutionize how we understand and treat disease, and his clinical research led to the discovery of two ne ...more