Table of Contents
Every science student must have read about Charles Darwin’s Theory of Survival of the Fittest. I still remember how beautifully the theory explains the extinction and existence of species and how it connects the dots between the past and the future. Yes! This is the beauty of reading a book.
The detailing! Undoubtedly, swiping and scrolling can give you a quick insight, when you are rushing in this fast-paced world. However, reading is where you should turn if you want to delve deeply into the sea of knowledge. Hence, keeping this in mind, this blog comes up with an all-time favorite list of genetic engineering books that will give you goosebumps for sure!
COVID-19 brought disaster to mankind, undoubtedly. The loss of mankind cannot be set off. On the other hand, it did open doors to opportunities in technology. One such field is genetic engineering. Earlier, this field had already helped in making the Hepatitis B vaccine, insulins for the human body, and genetically modified seeds, which brought about the green revolution.
The course lost its spark in the glamour of the IT world. It suddenly became a superstar after the pandemic. Various research papers and genetic engineering books are flooding the market with genomic technology. How do you decide which of these is best, then? Consider reading through a few of these well-researched books quickly to save valuable time.
1. Hacking Darwin-Genetic Engineering and the Future of Humanity
The author elegantly connects technology with real life. It sort of narrates how engineering has influenced the fundamental aspects of our lives. For example- love, war, sex, and death. In other words, you can have a clear picture of having an edited genome baby, increasing your lifespan, recreating living beings, etc. If you are a science geek and like to be updated about future technology and humankind, this book is a must-read for you.
Author -Jamie Metzl
Goodreads Rating-4.02/5
Genre- Science, Non-fiction
What makes it significantly better than other Genetic Engineering Books
It got nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award under the Best Science and Technology category (2019)
2. An Introduction to Genetic Engineering: Studies in Biology
This book provides in-depth knowledge of the subject from A to T! A good read for undergraduates. It starts from scratch, like molecular biology, how the manipulation of genes works, and applications. However, it has no fancy language; it’s more of a textbook for gaining details on genetic engineering.
Author-Desmond S.T Nicholl
Goodreads rating-4.21/5
Genre- Science, genetics, Textbooks
3. Future Perfect: Six Stories of Genetic Engineering
Can there be fictional stories in engineering? This book says Yes to this question. Basically, it tells the tale of six stories from the years 1984 to 2008, including “The Flowers of Aulit Prison,” the best short story winner of the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award. This is one of the great genetic engineering books in the fiction category and is a must-read for Science fiction lovers.
Author- by Nancy Kress
Goodreads rating:- 3.8/5
Genre- Science Fiction
4. Neural Networks, Fuzzy Logic, and Genetic Algorithms: Synthesis and Application
It is a personal recommendation for technical undergraduates who want to know how genetic algorithm works actually. How the future of humankind can be altered lies in these codes. For example- Fuzzy-Back-Propagation Networks (NN-FL), Simplified Fuzzy ARTMAP (NN-FL), and Fuzzy Associative Memories are the architectures that show how the technologies have been hybridized. It’s again a textbook-like description of mastering your field.
Author- S. Rajsekaran and G A Vijaylaxmi Pai
Goodreads ratings:- 4.2/ 5
Genre- Artificial Intelligence, Genetics, Textbook
5. The Genome Odyssey-Medical Mysteries and the Incredible Quest to Solve Them
From a boy who was found with a tumor in his heart to treating a newborn baby girl whose heart stopped working. Dr. Ashley describes his medical journey. In his terms, it was due to ‘The Missing Gene’. He describes how he and his team of doctors made great efforts to diagnose and prevent the diseases before they occurred. Summing up, the book is good enough for science lovers to go through the bumpy ride of a medical mystery.
Author- Dr. Euan Angus Ashley
Goodreads ratings- 4.23/5
Genre- Science non-fiction, Genetics
6. Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters
There are 23 pairs of genomes in the human body. Now, imagine this book as 23 individuals explaining their own characteristics, journeys, lives, and experiences. How crazy it could be to know! What traits do our various genomes contribute to us? For better understanding, it’s analogous to the periodic table, where each element has its own properties. For the same reason, it makes this genetic engineering book out of the box from others. So this book is recommended if you have to be proficient with complex words.
Author- Matt Ridley
Goodreads rating:- 4.05/5
Genre- Science nonfiction
7. Genetic Engineering: Unlocking the Secrets of DNA Manipulation
This book serves all, whether you are a science student, a budding scientist, or an inquisitive geek. The book is a perfect read for those looking for the scope of genetic engineering. Looking towards the future, the author introduces the immense potential in the genetic engineering field. This book will motivate you to join the field of scientific innovation in the era when a generation is still running behind the glamour of information technology.
Author- Gregory Klein
Goodreads rating:-(newly published)
Genre- Science non-fiction
8. The Gene: An Intimate History
The narrative of a Bengali family is the first in this book. Medical problems like a father with a genetically based brain disorder, a mother whose identical twin showed both the expected similarities and some surprising differences from her sister, and, particularly, the sudden onset of schizophrenia in otherwise healthy cousins and uncles, erupt from buried genetic legacies.
Author- Siddhartha Mukherjee
Goodreads rating -4.⅗
Genre- Science non-fiction, History
What makes it significantly better than other Genetic Engineering Books
It was nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award in the Best Science and Technology category( 2016)
9. The Origin of Species
One of the oldest books in this section was first published on January 1, 1859. One point to be noted here is that this book is not on genetics. But it is one of the founding books among the other genetic engineering books that form the bedrock of genetics. Before understanding complex proteins, structures, and techniques of editing, one must know the history behind them.
As I have said above, this book beautifully connects the dots between the past and the future. It explains the theory behind extinction and the existence of species. The book is good, to begin with, a study of life sciences making a base for genetic engineering. It’s written in a literary way for general readers. It is definitely a recommended book if you are an inquisitive science lover.
Author-Charles Darwin
Goodreads Rating- 4.0/5
Genre- Science, Non-fiction, Evolution, History
Point to emphasize- This is not a genetic engineering book but is the foundation of the idea of genetics. It was First published- on 1 Jan 1859
10. The Genius in All of Us: Why Everything You’ve Been Told About Genetics and IQ Is Wrong
Shenk uncovers some basic myths that are profound among laymen about genes. The myths of IQ testing and inner abilities to do things are all misleading for humanity. The book provides a highly optimistic view of human potential. The book is good motivation and encourages you to believe in yourself by giving scientific evidence. Written for general readers, it gives you a new perception that DNA and genes are not blueprints of who we are.
Author-David Shenk
Goodreads rating- 3.8/5
Genre- Non-fiction Science
11. MonSanto vs.The World: The Monsanto Protection Act, GMOs and Our Genetically Modified Future
This short book of 66 pages diligently describes the points often overlooked when a groundbreaking invention takes place. It takes you to the politics behind GMo seeds, which is on the negative side of this technology. Why and how Monsanto is taking over the USA agro-based industry. Are GMOs and genetically engineered food solutions to the world’s hunger or the mafias are just making money out of it? Who is Monsanto? What is Monsanto Protection Act (Farmer’s Assurance Provision)? It explains the much-hyped issue of the Monsanto Protection Act. Back then, it was said that it immunized Monsanto by the federal govt of the USA under Barak Obama. If you love to explore the political side of science and how the big names run a scam in the name of the economy, this book is definitely for you.
Author- Jason Louv
Goodreads Rating- 3.6/5
Genre- Science, Politics
12. Human Cloning in the Media: From Science Fiction to Science Practice
The author takes on a very interesting topic of human cloning. This topic has played a vital role in sci-fi movies. The book is about the controversies of actual scientific truth vs. the representation of cloning in media. The author has used various case studies as an illustration. They belong to human cloning from cultural studies and sociology. Conclusively, the book offers good content for undergraduates in science and technology, sociology, science, communication, etc.
Author- By Joan Haran, Jeny Kitzinger, Maureen McNeil, and Kate O’Riordan
Goodreads:- 4.0/5
Genre- Science
13. Editing Humanity:- The CRISPR Revolution and the New Era of Genome Editing
The book introduces the groundbreaking CRISPR technology of genetic engineering. The technology that can change human fate. It describes how genetic disorders are treatable after the introduction of CRISPR. Throwing light on how China got all the attention by announcing it had its first gene-edited babies, the book unveils various aspects of this technique. It is no less than watching a sci-fi movie where you ask yourself, Is it really possible in the near future?
Author- Kevin Davis
Goodreads Rating:- 3.97/4
Genre- Science, Genetics, Non-fiction
14. A Crack in Creation- Gene Editing And The Unthinkable Power to Control Evolution
In the continuity of CRISPR technology, this is the second book you can read among the other genetic engineering books on CRISPR. It describes revolutionary technology and how humans are close to ‘playing God in reality. It also focuses on the possible ethical and social repercussions of the technology. The book is worth reading for science geeks and nerds.
Author-Jennifer A Doduna and Samuel H. Sternberg
Goodreads rating- 4.14/5
Genre- Science Non-fiction
What makes it significantly better than other Genetic Engineering Books
It was nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Science and Technology category (2017)
15. Advanced Genetic Genealogy:- Techniques and Case Studies
The 14 chapters of the book are purely dedicated to case studies and research conducted in genetic engineering. Advanced genetic genealogy instruction is provided in this new book. Case studies show how to analyze DNA test results, and correlate them with documentary evidence. In conclusion, this book also talks about the future, ethics, and emotions. This book is good to go if you are a layman but don’t want to dive into the complexity of scientific words. At the same time, you are interested in knowing the facts of science. This book introduces Genomic facts with real-life examples.
Author-Debbie Parker Wayne (Editor)
Goodreads:- 4.47/ 5
Genre- Non-fiction, Science
16. Zero to Genetic Engineering Hero: The Beginner’s Guide to Programming Bacteria at Home, School, and in Makerspace
You can conduct authentic scientific experiments at home, in the classroom, or in a maker space using this book, which makes use of Amino Labs’ Minilab ecosystem. Another key point to note here is that no prior knowledge of genetics or biology is required. You can learn how to grow E. coli cells, Isolate DNA, extract engineered proteins, and more. Since it’s a beginner’s guide, it’s a good book to experience genetic reality.
Author- Justin Pahara & Julie Legault
Goodreads rating:- 3.⅖
Genre- Science, Genetics
17. The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doduna, Gene Editing And The Future of The Human Race
This book is the biography of Jennifer Doduna and her successful innovation. The author describes once she saw a double helix structure on a paper. She got amused by it when in her teens. How she was determined to become a scientist. The author also describes how after CRISPR, life is going to change. In the era of microchips why this technology of life science is the most compelling evidence to join research. This genetic engineering book will tell you the history and biography behind CRISPR.
Author-Walter Isaacson
Goodreads ratings- 4.⅖
Genre- Science and technology
What makes it significantly better than other Genetic Engineering Books
It got Nominated Goodreads Choice Award for Best History and Biography category (2021)
18. The CRISPR Generation: The Story of the World’s first gene-edited Babies
The third and last book on CRISPR technology in this list is by Dr Kiran. On one hand, she takes the reader through an insider’s view of the history of the gene-editing field. Key discoveries about how gene editing can be used to prevent and treat diseases like AIDS and heart attacks. On the other hand, it also accounts for the announcement by Dr. He Jiankui of Shenzen, China. It uncovers all the history behind the first gene-edited babies. How was a scientist with no medical training able to edit the genes? Why does the world view it as a deeply flawed experiment rather than a historic scientific achievement?
Author- Kiran Munsunuru
Goodreads Ratings-4.24
Genre- Non-fiction, Genetics
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