It's summer time again—time to get out, go on vacation, and maybe catch up on all those books that have been stacking up throughout the winter while you lived in the lab. To help you find the perfect summer read (or at least whittle down your choices a little), the staff at BioTechniques thought it might be a good idea to provide our readers with some of our favorites; these are titles that we think are perfect to take along on summer trips, or to pack in your bag as you head out to relax on the beach.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Whether you have ever worked with HeLacells (derived originally from cancerous cervical tissue from Mrs. Lacks), or have never done cell culture before, this riveting account of Lacks' life and death and the ethical and moral considerations behind biologically derived materials is well worth your time. Author Rebecca Skloot provides an in-depth history of how these cells were derived, the incredible advances in our understanding of basic biology that have come as a result, and the subsequent impact on Lacks' family.
The Drunkard's Walk. Have you ever wondered if a roll of the dice is a random event? Leonard Mlodinow explains how chance and probability can play a role in our daily lives through a historical tour of basic statistics. Mlodinow explains a wide range of events, from how financial markets work to why praise or punishment might make little difference when it comes to teaching. His easy-to-understand approach makes for an enlightening, as well as entertaining, summer read.
Geek Dad: Awesomely Geeky Projects and Activities for Dads and Kids to Share. Nothing could be better than sharing your love of science with children. In this book, author Ken Denmead, editor of the GeekDad blog at www.wired.com, describes a series of projects that parents can do with their young ones who are interested in learning more about science. How about building a lamp out of LEGOs and CDs?
The Genome War: How Craig Venter Tried to Capture the Code of Life and Save the World. As we reach the ten-year anniversary of the completion of the draft sequence of the human genome, it might be a perfect time to revisit (or even read for the first time) James Shreeve's engrossing account of the efforts of Craig Venter's race against the government-funded consortium to sequence the first human genome. Packed with insider details about the trials and tribulations Venter's team faced, and culminating with the historic joint announcement by Venter and Francis Collins at the White House, Shreeve's book tells the amazing story of one of the biggest achievements in the history of science.
Experimental Heart: A Novel. Jennifer Rohn, a cell biologist at University College London, creates a fictional tale of love and intrigue in the lab involving a young scientist and vaccine research. Told with skill and an amazing eye for scientific detail that comes from spending years at the bench, Rohn captures life in the lab along with the challenges and joys of experimentation, all within an entertaining and engaging plot that will keep readers guessing throughout.
We hope these books will give you some summer reading possibilities. But if there are other books that you think would make good additions to our summer reading list and want to share, please post your picks or comments to Molecular Biology Forums under “To the Editor” (http://molecularbiology.forums.biotechniques.com) or send an email directly to the editors (bioeditor@biotechniques.com).
