It is inarguable that Jennifer Doudna's contributions to scientific understanding of disease will be used -- and built upon -- for generations to come. But instead of a compelling story of the discovery of CRISPR -- a DNA editing tool -- author Walter Isaacson subjects us to a detailed tick-tock of Douda's decades-long career as well as those of her colleagues and competitors in the field.

The insights contained within aren't surprising. Sadly, males are too often stealing insights, discoveries and inventions of their female colleagues. The race to be first to the scientific journals with a new discovery can lead to some unseemly actions (and ruin collegial friendships).

You're going to have to want to be fascinated by the minutiae of science -- especially DNA -- to enjoy this book to its fullest. It was just a slog for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this new Isaacson work.

I have read ALL of his prior works. They are all "must reading" for me. This was no different. I learn so much from his books.

I just bought a hardcopy for my daughter. She is a STEM student. I believe it will motivate her!

Highly recommend. Good Holiday gift!

Super informative overall! I will say that this is not one of those non-fiction books that has a lot of personality in it that makes it more of a "fun" read, it's very dry and just kind of gives things to you straight. I would also say it would probably be best if you have a little bit of knowledge concerning genes because I was confused some of the time, but was definitely still interesting.

A well-rounded look at CRISPER technology and the way scientific achievement works in the 21st century. It felt a little bit like Isaacson had his thesis (the pro-side of gene editing) before starting the book. He also seemed to get somewhat off topic at points (rehashing Watson's racist remarks, for example) that could have been cut from the book. No one loves the 1980's Macintosh commercials more than him.

It's nice that we are getting more books about women in science. I'd never heard of Jennifer Doudna and I was drawn to the title because of the Author, Walter Isaacson. She became interested in science at a young age and was discouraged at every turn by teachers. Thank heavens she persevered and won the Nobel prize in 2020. She worked not only on the science but the ethics of Gene editing. A wonderful read for older teens and adults. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

It was very interesting to see the arc of her life and how her research is vital to the world. She is a shining role model for both genders.

What an absolutely wonderful book - a history of genetics, a bio of Jennifer Doudna and other key figures, a breathless chronicle of multiple scientific races, a brief diversion into the inevitable legal disputes that arise from such races, a fair-minded debate over the commercialization of scientific research and the wisdom of genetic tool development, and a finale that ties all these themes into the race to tackle the coronavirus crisis.

Along the way, author Isaacson is curious, cheerful, open minded and an entertaining guide through these complex issues.

You don’t need much if any familiarity with the scientific concepts discussed - Isaacson will teach you what you need to know, and will come back again and again to the important ideas and techniques.

I loved this book and think anyone with that spark of curiosity will, too.

Absolutely fascinating!

Walter Isaacson takes a topic as complex as DNA, RNA and CRISPR and synthesizes it in such a way that it is understandable. He is truly a master in narrative non-fiction, weaving together hundred of scientists in such a way that the story is clear. By having one "main character", Jennifer Douda, Issacson is able to keep the narrative centralized around her and her relationships with other researchers. It is a balanced look at the scientists.

The most fascinating chapters are those about rogue scientists, discussions about ethics (I found my own thoughts arguing against each other) and the coronavirus. The last chapters are devoted to the search for the mRNA vaccine for COVID19 and the development of the rapid PCR tests.

A recent history of science of genetic engineering. Nobel Prize Winner Jennifer Doudna is the main character in the book, but it covers all of the major scientists in the field, as well as some outliers. The book is very long and can sometimes be tedious. However, Isaacson does a good job of making the science understanding to laymen and developing the characters who competed to be the first to make breakthroughs.
A major theme of the book is the interaction among the scientists and their supporting institutions. They competed against each other to be the first to issue a paper on a recent discovery. The educational institutions they worked at also competed to patent the discoveries. Doudna was often a day late in the race against Feng Zhang, a scientist with the Broad Institute. Doudna filed first for a patent on CRISPR, the process used to modify DNA. However, Zhang got his patent fast tracked and eventually won a lawsuit upholding the validity of his patent. The end of the story was refreshing, however, when all of the researchers shared information and worked together to develop an RNA vaccine for COVID-19.
The other main topic of the book involves the ethical issues of genetic engineering and the efforts of scientists to control the its use. Is it ethical to modify the DNA of a fetus to prevent sickle cell anemia or other genetic diseases? If so, where is the line drawn? Should parents be able to order designer children who have genetic potential for greater intelligence or athletic ability? The questions are not subject to easy answers.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for providing a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

I was so excited to receive a preview of this book! I am a fan of Walter Isaacson having read his biographies of Steve Job and Einstein. It's about such a timely subject because of COVID-19 and the Me-Too movement. I knew that Isaacson could take complex scientific theories and break them down so that a dummy like me could at least get the basic concepts involved, like he did in his Einstein biography. I couldn't wait to get started.

I loved reading about the scientific collaboration of brilliant men and women. I basked in the glow of these geniuses on their bucolic college campuses working hard to the greater good. It made me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Then the mood changed and I was saddened but intrigued by the competitive atmosphere and back biting that goes on to get patents and recognition in this community. Even our hero Jennifer Doudna tried to cash in with a job in the private sector for a time. My warm fuzzies were frozen and shattered when I realized that the academic community is just as ruthless as the rest of us.

I was intrigued and a bit grossed out when the book got into some of the ethical concerns and ideas for the future of gene editing. Curing genetic diseases is wonderful, designer babies not so much.

All and all, I really loved this book. I learned a lot about CRISPR and the work being done to improve our lives. This book is not only about Jennifer Doudna. I don't think she's even the main character. The technology is.

If I have a criticism is that Isaacson injects himself more into the plot than in any of the other books of his I've read. This is understandable since Doudna is a living person and the research is ongoing currently.

Fantastic book and very timely. As someone working in healthcare I found the book so interesting. I really enjoyed listening to talk from author who told this scientific story so well.

2020 Nobel Prize winner Jennifer Doudna’s contributions to the world will not be fully known for years and possibly decades, but her development with collaborator Emmanuelle Charpentier of CRISPR, an easy-to-use gene-editing technology, is revolutionizing modern science and medicine. Following this life-changing creation dubbed “the most important biological advance since … the discovery of the structure of DNA”, Doudna, a biochemist and genescientist, has worked to tackle the moral issues associated with the invention, balancing the ability to better fight off new viruses such as the coronavirus and help prevent depression with allowing parents to choose a child’s gender, intelligence, or eye color. In this exhaustively researched book, Isaacson chronicles the advent of an amazing new technology and what it will mean for science and the world at large.

I also reviewed this one for Bookreporter.

At first this book seemed a little uneven. It starts out as the story of Jennifer Doudna and her inspiration and science. It introduced CRISPR and her scientific rivals. It taught about scientific competition and the formation of companies based on discoveries. Then, it becomes the story of the novel Coronavirus and the collaboration of scientists who helped fight the pandemic.
One paragraph in the next to last chapter exemplifies what tires together the whole story:
One fundamental aspect of science will remain the same. It has always been a collaboration across generations, from Darwin and Mendel to Watson and Crick to Doudna and Charpentier.

I truly enjoyed reading and learning from this book. By halfway through, I began wanting to go back and study biochemistry myself. Early in the book, Isaacson tells about Doudna being inspired by the book Double Helix by James Watson. This book is one which will inspire future generations to pursue careers in biotechnology.

Thank you to the publisher (Simon & Schuster) and to Netgalley for the opportunity to read a prerelease copy of this book.

Honestly, I wanted a lot more Doudna in this book. Based on the cover and the title, I thought that this book would read much more like a biography of Doudna and her experiences. Dr. Doudna was actually my biology teacher while I was at UC Berkeley back in 2012! A lot of amazing history and her own unique experiences were left out of the book.

There was A LOT of science. Science is fantastic. I love science. Even for me, there was TOO MUCH. I would say the book was 60% an explanation of DNA/RNA/CRISPR, 20% Doudna biography and then 20% scientific history. Though the scientific explanations are highly valuable, I feel as though they could have been edited (lol, CRISPR reference) to be streamlined a bit. I have a degree in Molecular Cell Biology and even I found this text to be a bit too technical.

I've been a huge fan of Walter Isaacson's other novels. This book didn't disappoint! Overall, it was a fantastic read. Even though I have a background in biology, I think the author did a great job setting the stage and explaining the science in a simple, engaging way. It was also awesome to see him feature a female innovator!!

Absolutely fascinating story of the discovery of the properties of RNA, CRISPR, and the ability to use this to edit genes. Isaacson covers many areas including the roles of women in science, the race for patents and the inclusion of business and biohealth in academic institutions, the role of scientific journals and the race for first publication, and the need for collaboration and cooperation that was emphasized in the development of COVID treatments, detection, and vaccines. Jennifer Doudna is a leader in the biohealth sciences and Isaacson follows her interest in biology from the time she was a young girl and wondered why ferns curled when touched to her recent Nobel Prize achievement. Isaacson has been able to explain the science of gene editing in a clear and concise way that can be understood by the general reader. He spent many hours interviewing the scientists and established friendships with many of them to the point where he was invited to key conferences and was even given the opportunity to do some gene editing himself.
This book is a must read for anyone who would like to understand the science behind the development of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines without having to read weighty scientific articles. The human aspect of the research and the characters involved is fascinating and the personal relationships between Isaacson and the scientists make this a very engaging read.
Highly recommend.

I haven't read anything by Walter Isaacson before, but he writes great non-fiction. This is not a short book but it was engaging. The title of this book is misleading. While Jennifer Doudna, who won the Nobel Prize with Emmanuelle Charpentier in 2020, is prominently featured throughout the book, it follows the major (and some minor) players in the race to understand DNA and RNA, to manipulate genetic code and develop CRISPR.

This is understandably science-dense, which may intimidate some readers; however, I found it reasonable to understand many of the concepts if not the details. This contributes to part of the book feeling slow, but it also seemed necessary to the overall context. It was interesting how the author inserts himself into the story, for example, saying he believed something (questionable) someone said when he spoke with them.

The later sections of the book hold the most interest for me, when he talks about the ethics and potential inequality of this science, how this science can lead to bringing biology into the home like computer science was, as well as how the "plague year" has changed the scientific community--hopefully in a lasting good way.

The discussion of traditional vaccines being supplanted by genetic vaccines was a little hard to follow but intriguing and exciting. (I for one, tend to want "natural" but also have to make hard choices for health reasons sometimes and I was thrilled to find out (not in the book) the COVID vaccine has no food proteins--because it isn't processed with eggs like the traditional vaccines are, so I was able to get it without having a serious reaction.)

This was a very timely published book (I'm still reeling from trying to understand how he got it to press while still writing about the COVID world.) I still have questions, like I would love to know where those quick COVID test devices are and when they will be widely available. I recommend this book for everyone, even if you have to skim parts!

For more reviews and bookish posts please visit: https://www.ManofLaBook.com

The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race by Walter Isaacson is a biography of the 2020 Nobel Prize winning chemist, who together with her French colleague Emmanuelle Charpentier accepted the award. Mr. Isaacson is an award-winning, notable American biographer.

This book is much more than a biography. It is an important book for out time which follows the decade long, ground breaking research which allowed scientists to produce a COVID-19 vaccine in record time. From reading other biographies by Walter Isaacson, I can see the appeal. The author devotes a lot of time in this book to the ethics of gene editing.

The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race by Walter Isaacson is also a diary of 2020. It starts with Mrs. Doudna driving hours to pick up her son from camp, shortly before he receives a message to leave due to the pandemic. It ends with Mr. Isaacson volunteering for vaccine trials and feeling optimistic.

In between the 2020 bookends, the book follows Mrs. Doudna’s journey to create a gene editing tool. The tool known as CRISPR-Cas9 is a revolution in the genetic engineering field, and as Dr. Doudna herself said is actually an international effort. The impact of CRISPR-Cas9 was felt around the whole medical industry, as well as others and society at large.

The genetic scissors that Dr. Charpentier and Prof. Doudna created have benefited humanity immensely in a short period of time. Agricultural scientists created crops that can withstand drought, pests and mold. New cancer curing trials are on their way, inherited diseases might be eliminated, and even customized medication.
And there is also the small matter of a vaccine for a worldwide pandemic. Researchers from all around the world dropped the race for recognition and grants, and posted research on the Internet to benefit the entire scientific community.

Mr. Isaacson did a tremendous amount of research for this book, and boy is he proud of it. He went into labs, edited human DNA using CRISPR, attended conferences, and hub-nabbed with the superstars of the field. As always, his knack of explaining complex scientific theories in a simple, straightforward manner for us laymen to – maybe – being to grasp them.

I’m glad this book was written, we need more scientific heroes like Dr. Doudna, Dr. Charpentier, Francisco Mojica (who was the first to sport CRISPR), Lithuanian biochemist Virginijus Šikšnys, and many others. Prof. Doudna, however, is the thread that holds the story together.

The Code Breaker is a fascinating novel that truly gave me an insight into both the science itself and the talented scientists behind the exciting and controversial advances that have been made.

I'll be honest, I was a little daunted by the thought of reading this book because science really isn't my best subject and I hoped it wasn't all going to be completely over my head. I needn't have worried. The author does an amazing job of conveying all the information about this complicated field, but not leaving the reader behind. He is able to explain very technical information in a clear manner, all the while not making it condescending in any way. I was impressed by the dedication the scientists showed to their field and also somewhat surprised at how competitive the field is. It was also interesting to me to learn more about the partnership between universities, researchers and business.

This novel could not be more timely and I felt it was an important work to read to stay informed about this crucial field. I left with a greater understanding of the gene editing process, the complicated moral and ethical issues faced and the process behind the creation of the COVID vaccines.

I received this book courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was absolutely fantastic! I'm a massive fan of Walter Isaacson's biographies, and this one ranks right up with Leonardo da Vinci as one of my favorites. It was especially interesting since this talks about how Doudna's work contributed to developing the MRNA Covid-19 vaccines. I love reading books about science and badass women, and this book was no exception.