The Human Genome

Edited by:
  • Carina Dennis &
  • Richard Gallagher
Palgrave: 2001. 156 pp. £19.99, $30

The sequencing of the human genome was the last major goal to be set by leaders of science in the twentieth century. Its achievement was certainly as spectacular a triumph as the launching of the first spacecraft or landing on the Moon. It was also an amazing example of cooperation and competition between scientists, government funding agencies, charities, and public and privately funded projects. In a symbolic way it is a manifestation of the dramatic cultural changes that humanity undergoes at the turn of a new millennium.

Nature was an active supporter of the project to sequence the human genome, promoting ideas, lobbying for more funds and publishing outstanding achievements, including a completed draft sequence. So it is natural to see two senior editors of Nature compiling a book on this epochal achievement. The book is aimed at both non-specialists and students in the field, and presents the goals, history and consequences of obtaining the genome sequence. With a foreword by James Watson, the book describes early achievements in DNA structure and human genome mapping, followed by a detailed account of the dramatic course of events that led to the sequencing the human genome ahead of schedule.

The style is very clear and the authors present not only the facts, but also the spirit of this dramatic race. Although it is probably too early for a full understanding, the authors have tried to assess the future impact of human genome sequencing on biology, medicine and society. The book contains very good illustrations and historical photographs of key participants of the project. The original article reporting the sequence obtained by the public consortium, with schematic gene maps and accompanying papers, makes up more than half of the book. It will be a pleasure for any scientist to have this milestone book in their personal library.