The Agile Gene: How Nature Turns on Nurture by Matt Ridley (English) Paperback B

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The bestselling author of "Genome" chronicles a new revolution in the world'sunderstanding of genes.

FORMATPaperback LANGUAGEEnglish CONDITIONBrand New Publisher Description

"Bracingly intelligent, lucid, balanced--witty, too. . . . A scrupulous and charming look at our modern understanding of genes and experience." -- Oliver SacksArmed with extraordinary new discoveries about our genes, acclaimed science writer Matt Ridley turns his attention to the nature-versus-nurture debate in a thoughtful book about the roots of human behavior.Ridley recounts the hundred years' war between the partisans of nature and nurture to explain how this paradoxical creature, the human being, can be simultaneously free-willed and motivated by instinct and culture. With the decoding of the human genome, we now know that genes not only predetermine the broad structure of the brain, they also absorb formative experiences, react to social cues, and even run memory. They are consequences as well as causes of the will.

Back Cover

Armed with extraordinary new discoveries about our genes, acclaimed science writer Matt Ridley turns his attention to the nature-versus-nurture debate in a thoughtful book about the roots of human behavior. Ridley recounts the hundred years' war between the partisans of nature and nurture to explain how this paradoxical creature, the human being, can be simultaneously free-willed and motivated by instinct and culture. With the decoding of the human genome, we now know that genes not only predetermine the broad structure of the brain, they also absorb formative experiences, react to social cues, and even run memory. They are consequences as well as causes of the will.

Author Biography

Matt Ridley's books--including The Red Queen, Genome, The Rational Optimist, The Evolution of Everything, How Innovation Works, and most recently, Viral: the Search for the Origin of Covid-19 (with Alina Chan)--have sold over a million copies, been translated into 31 languages, and won several awards. He sat in the House of Lords from 2013 and 2021, and was founding chairman of the International Centre for Life in Newcastle. He created the "Mind and Matter" column in the Wall Street Journal in 2010, and was a columnist for the Times. He is a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and of the Academy of Medical Sciences, and a foreign honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He lives in Northumberland.

Review

"Fascinating and important information from the world of science." -- New York Times Book Review"Proposes a new way of looking at an ongoing debate." -- Washington Post Book World"Matt Ridley breathes new life into the old debate of heredity versus environment. He deftly examines subjects as diverse as sexual identity, political theory, and psychotic behavior. This book will both edify and excite the intelligent reader." -- Jerome Groopman, M.D."An engrossing study of what makes us who we are ... conveyed with insight and style." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)"I would never have expected a book about 'nature or nurture' to be even mildly interesting, let alone a real page-turner. But I had reckoned without Matt Ridley's gift for surprising the reader. What a superb writer he is, and he seems to get better and better." -- Richard Dawkins, author of The Selfish Gene"Ridley is simply one of the best science writers in the business." -- Hartford Courant"Bracingly intelligent, lucid, balanced--witty, too....A scrupulous and charming look at our modern understanding of genes and experience." -- Oliver Sacks"Terrific popular science." -- Booklist (starred review)"A delight. . . a rich overview and a compellingly integrated picture of a great deal of science, both old and new." -- Nature"Thoughtful and entertaining." -- Salon.com"Ridley's enthusiasm for his subject is contagious ... He writes with panache, wit and humor and displays remarkable ingenuity in finding ways to present complicated materials for the lay reader." -- Los Angeles Times

Review Quote

"Thoughtful and entertaining."

Details ISBN006000679X Author Matt Ridley Short Title AGILE GENE Language English ISBN-10 006000679X ISBN-13 9780060006792 Media Book Format Paperback DEWEY 155.7 Residence Northumberland, ENK Subtitle How Nature Turns on Nurture DOI 10.1604/9780060006792 AU Release Date 2007-02-03 NZ Release Date 2007-02-03 Pages 352 Audience General UK Release Date 2004-07-06 Publisher HarperCollins Publishers Inc Year 2004 Publication Date 2004-07-06 Imprint Collins Place of Publication New York Country of Publication United States US Release Date 2004-07-06 Imprint US Harper Perennial Publisher US HarperCollins We've got this

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