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The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written
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The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code Hardcover - 2012

by Sam Kean

From "New York Times"-bestselling author Kean comes more incredible and vibrant stories of science, history, language, and music, as told by DNA.


From the publisher

From New York Times bestselling author Sam Kean comes incredible stories of science, history, language, and music, as told by our own DNA. In The Disappearing Spoon, bestselling author Sam Kean unlocked the mysteries of the periodic table. In The Violinist's Thumb, he explores the wonders of the magical building block of life: DNA. There are genes to explain crazy cat ladies, why other people have no fingerprints, and why some people survive nuclear bombs. Genes illuminate everything from JFK's bronze skin (it wasn't a tan) to Einstein's genius. They prove that Neanderthals and humans bred thousands of years more recently than any of us would feel comfortable thinking. They can even allow some people, because of the exceptional flexibility of their thumbs and fingers, to become truly singular violinists. Kean's vibrant storytelling once again makes science entertaining, explaining human history and whimsy while showing how DNA will influence our species' future.

Details

  • Title The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code
  • Author Sam Kean
  • Binding Hardcover
  • Edition First Edition
  • Pages 416
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Little Brown and Company, New York
  • Date 2012-07-17
  • Illustrated Yes
  • Features Bibliography, Dust Cover, Illustrated, Index, Price on Product - Canadian, Table of Contents
  • ISBN 9780316182317 / 0316182311
  • Weight 1.43 lbs (0.65 kg)
  • Dimensions 9.3 x 6.38 x 1.32 in (23.62 x 16.21 x 3.35 cm)
  • Library of Congress subjects Human genetics, SCIENCE / Life Sciences / Biology / General
  • Library of Congress Catalog Number 2012007029
  • Dewey Decimal Code 572.8

Media reviews

Citations

  • Booklist, 07/01/2012, Page 8
  • Discover, 07/01/2012, Page 21
  • Entertainment Weekly, 12/28/2012, Page 106
  • Kirkus Best Nonfiction, 12/01/2012, Page 21
  • Kirkus Reviews, 06/01/2012, Page 0
  • Library Journal, 03/15/2012, Page 129
  • Publishers Weekly, 02/13/2012, Page 0

About the author

Sam Kean is the New York Times bestselling author of Caesar's Last Breath, The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons, The Disappearing Spoon, and The Violinist's Thumb, all of which were also named Amazon top science books of the year. The Disappearing Spoon was a runner-up for the Royal Society of London's book of the year for 2010, and The Violinist's Thumb and The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons were nominated for the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award in 2013 and 2015, as well as the AAAS/Subaru SB&F prize. His work has appeared in the Best American Nature and Science Writing, the New Yorker, the Atlantic, the New York Times Magazine, Psychology Today, Slate, Mental Floss, and other publications, and he has been featured on NPR's "Radiolab," "All Things Considered," and "Fresh Air."
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The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our...
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The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code

by Kean, Sam

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The Violinist's Thumb : And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, As Written by Our Genetic...

The Violinist's Thumb : And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, As Written by Our Genetic Code

by Sam Kean

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The Violinist's Thumb : And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, As Written by Our Genetic...

The Violinist's Thumb : And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, As Written by Our Genetic Code

by Sam Kean

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ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
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The Violinist's Thumb : And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, As Written by Our Genetic...

The Violinist's Thumb : And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, As Written by Our Genetic Code

by Sam Kean

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ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780316182317 / 0316182311
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Seattle, Washington, United States
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Little Brown & Company, 2012. Hardcover. Good. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
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The Violinist's Thumb : And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, As Written by Our Genetic...

The Violinist's Thumb : And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, As Written by Our Genetic Code

by Sam Kean

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The Violinist's Thumb : And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, As Written by Our Genetic...

The Violinist's Thumb : And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, As Written by Our Genetic Code

by Sam Kean

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The Violinist's Thumb : And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, As Written by Our Genetic...

The Violinist's Thumb : And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, As Written by Our Genetic Code

by Sam Kean

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The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code
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The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code

by Kean, Sam

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ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
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The Violinist's Thumb : And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, As Written by Our...
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The Violinist's Thumb : And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, As Written by Our Genetic Code

by Kean, Sam

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ISBN 10 / ISBN 13
9780316182317 / 0316182311
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The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code
Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different

The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code

by Sam Kean

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