Kolata graduated from the University of Maryland and studied molecular biology at the graduate level at MIT for a year and a half. Then she returned to the University of Maryland and obtained a master’s degree in applied mathematics. Kolata has taught writing as a visiting professor at Princeton University and frequently gives lectures across the country. She lives in Princeton, New Jersey, with her family.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a fascinating look at the history of cloning and some of the debates around the ethics and implications of cloning. I don’t really read much fiction, but I found this book at a thrift store and decided to read it and am glad that I did. I think I’ll be reading much more nonfiction in the future, as this helped me in developing my opinions on cloning and genetic engineering of humans and animals. While it was written some time ago, it’s still quite relevant today and is fascinating when considering the advances we have made in cloning since this book released.
Short but very good. Beyond Dolly, this book is ideal to learn about cloning from a purely scientific aspect (how, why and the whole history behind it). Sadly, although engaging the author doesn't go deep enough into the legal and moral sides of such a hot topic. Well written, clear but, I expected her to be more involved with ethical issues.
Good narrative description of events leading to Dolly, the cloned sheep. Not something that stuck in my mind particularly, but not a bad book either. I just don't like when the author's opinion is too strongly portrayed in the book. Good read, just not something I'd read over and over.
This book was one of them that sparked my bio-geekiness. Did you know that the mother of Dolly-the sheep Dolly was cloned from was tossed aside as though she meant nothing? Treated as ordinary laboratory waste while Dolly was celebrated? Or that Dolly was NOT the first animal cloned?
Crap cash-in on timely controversy. None of the research that went into the book is interesting in the slightest. Worse, the author narrates as though talking to a class of bright fourth graders.
This book offered a lot of insight into science and it's past history regarding cloning. However, I felt the book was hard to follow and referenced too many other publications to truly enjoy.