emigh@ecsvax.UUCP (06/26/84)
The Cartoon Guide to Genetics, by Larry Gonick and Mark Wheelis. 1983.
Barnes and Noble, New York. 215pp. $5.25
The Cartoon Guide is a short book that introduces the basics of genetics in
a sometimes humorous vein. The topics covered in the book are the standard
intro Genetics topics: History of Genetics (The artist likes to caricature
the scientists who made the various discoveries); Mendelian Genetics;
Cytogenetics (usual drawings of meiosis and mitosis); Mutation; Sex
Determination; Sex Linked Genes;Chemical structure of the various actors
in Genetics--RNA,DNA,protein,amino acids, etc.;Gene Replication; Transcription;
Gene Regulation; and Genetic Engineering.
The book is filled with cartoons (every page has at least one, most have
several). While the first half of the book has lots of cartoons, most
of these are only peripherally related to the subject (e.g., Text: "Every
pea flower has both male and female ordans, so they orginarily fertilize
themselves." Cartoon: Picture of Gregor Mendel snipping the anthers off
pea flowers with Mendel saying: "Unless we practice *AHEM* family planning!").
The biggest strength in the book lies in the cartoon representation of
molecular genetics. The authors have developed cartoon figures that
represent, e.g., ribosomes, proteins, RNA polymerase, enzymes. With
these figures, they show what happens in replication, etc.
The genetics in the book is sound and relatively current (Wheelis is
a bacteriologist at UC Davis). The cartoons are amusing and add a lot to
the presentation (particularly the second half). I would recommend it to
anyone with an outsiders interest in genetics. I will be using it as a
supplemental text when I teach General Genetics, and expect to use some
of the drawings in my lectures. (If I can't get my students to read the
text, maybe they will at least read this).
--
Ted H. Emigh Genetics and Statistics, North Carolina State U, Raleigh NC
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