She Has Her Mother's Laugh

The Powers, Perversions, and Potential of Heredity

By: Carl Zimmer

Narrated by: Joe Ochman

2019 PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award Finalist

"Science book of the year"—The Guardian

One of New York Times 100 Notable Books for 2018
One of Publishers Weekly's Top Ten Books of 2018
One of Kirkus's Best Books of 2018
One of Mental Floss's Best Books of 2018
One of Science Friday's Best Science Books of 2018

“Extraordinary”—New York Times Book Review
"Magisterial"—The Atlantic
"Engrossing"—Wired
"Leading contender as the most outstanding nonfiction work of the year"—Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Celebrated New York Times columnist and science writer Carl Zimmer presents a profoundly original perspective on what we pass along from generation to generation. Charles Darwin played a crucial part in turning heredity into a scientific question, and yet he failed spectacularly to answer it. The birth of genetics in the early 1900s seemed to do precisely that. Gradually, people translated their old notions about heredity into a language of genes. As the technology for studying genes became cheaper, millions of people ordered genetic tests to link themselves to missing parents, to distant ancestors, to ethnic identities...

But, Zimmer writes, “Each of us carries an amalgam of fragments of DNA, stitched together from some of our many ancestors. Each piece has its own ancestry, traveling a different path back through human history. A particular fragment may sometimes be cause for worry, but most of our DNA influences who we are—our appearance, our height, our penchants—in inconceivably subtle ways.” Heredity isn’t just about genes that pass from parent to child. Heredity continues within our own bodies, as a single cell gives rise to trillions of cells that make up our bodies. We say we inherit genes from our ancestors—using a word that once referred to kingdoms and estates—but we inherit other things that matter as much or more to our lives, from microbes to technologies we use to make life more comfortable. We need a new definition of what heredity is and, through Carl Zimmer’s lucid exposition and storytelling, this resounding tour de force delivers it.

Weaving historical and current scientific research, his own experience with his two daughters, and the kind of original reporting expected of one of the world’s best science journalists, Zimmer ultimately unpacks urgent bioethical quandaries arising from new biomedical technologies, but also long-standing presumptions about who we really are and what we can pass on to future generations.

Intriguing Insights

The concept of mosaic inheritance was mind boggling. Also the idea that DNA from my daughter and her father may be lingering in my body is awesome. The exploration of the range of possibilities of how DNA forms each person’s individual sexuality is truly eye opening.

Fascinating target shift

Great genetics historic overview with information shifting for youth to elderly as in popular page turned genres. Entertaining. Informative.

Amazing overview

Highly recommended. May be too much detail for some but still an excellent resource. Worthy of your time :-)

Good overview of inheritance

Starts off slow with stories that have little to do with inheritance, but I'm glad I stuck with it. Zimmer provides a good up to date research in genentics. A good overview for anyone interested in the study of heredity.

Multiple mind-blowing moments

From history you never imagined to evolutionary quirks you've never heard of, this book is continually mind-blowing.