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Title: Living with Our Genes: Why They Matter More Than You Think by Dean H. Hamer, Peter Copeland, Dean Hamer ISBN: 0-385-48584-0 Publisher: Anchor Books/Doubleday Pub. Date: 16 February, 1999 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.86 (22 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: Good, but there's better to be found
Comment: This book makes a decent attempt to describe the relationship between genes and behavior. Its cover describes this book as "groundbreaking", but it's not. In fact, it's really quite light. In a fashion typical of psychologist, it tells many quaint stories about people that the authors seem to believe makes their discussion more interesting, but really just insults the readers' intelligence.
It's a good place to start. But it reads like it were written for first-year college students, and merely restates things that are much better stated elsewhere. If you want a book that does a MUCH better job, and is much better written, try Matt Ridley's excellent book "Genome", or his more dense "The Red Queen". And for serious books that truely are groundbreaking, try E.O. Wilson's "On Human Nature" or Richard Dawkins' "The Selfish Gene". Each of those books are significantly better than "Living With Our Genes."
Rating: 5
Summary: Why oh why oh why do you do me this way
Comment: Dean Hamer, while working in his laboratory at the National Institute of Health, made headlines around the world when he discovered a genetic link to male homosexuality. From such notoriety comes this book, the essence of which is that ones behavior is much more a function of nature/genetics than it is of nurture or whether mother's dominance warped you for life.
Hamer goes through the effects of your genetics as it relates to your personality; your propensity to seek thrills; your tendencies toward aggression, anger and violence; your capacity for addiction; your needs in regard to sex and love; your body weight and eating habits; your rate of aging; and your emotional temperament. And, guess what? The odds are about 70% genetic and 30% upbringing and character as to how you'll turn out as an adult.
This book doesn't try to mystify the reader and is, in fact, easy to read. Hamer weaves in the stories of individuals in order to keep the reader glued to each individual's saga. The sine qua non comes with the twin studies. They've multiplied over the years and today offer an abundant body of proof in support of Hamer's assertions. The factual evidence is overwhelming in favor of genetics as the deciding factor in behavior. Read it and you will see.
This book was published in 1998 which makes it quite old in the rapidly moving world of genetic research. Let me give you an example of what has happened in the interim. Not only have genes for fear and confidence been revealed, but a gene or constellation of genes has been posited for one's proclivity for belief in a higher order being, God. The Darwinian selection for such a trait comes from man's need to organize and work together in groups, in arduous circumstances, over long periods of time. Wow? I knew that profound unshakeable belief had to be genetic after talking to so many "true believer" anti-war protestors. The whole concept gives a new slant to Eric Hoffer's classic, "the True Believer".
I've written often about man's seeming infinite capacity for self deception, but now I have, presto, a genetic component where none was available prior. The other half of this juxtaposition is man's inexhaustible need to feel morally virtuous, a way of puffing one's self-importance or so it seems from here.
After you read this book, and if you've never read much on the genetic influences on your behavior, you might see yourself and many of your friends in a completely different light. I really enjoyed the experience of reading what Hamer has to say, and I believe you will too.
Rating: 5
Summary: groundbreaking
Comment: excellent evidence presented to support view of genetic role in predisposed personality development. includes how our genes might influence sex, addiction, hunger, disease, novelty-seeking, etc. conclusion on altering genetic tempermant is incredibly stimulating on the topic of bioethics.
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Title: Half Empty, Half Full: Understanding the Psychological Roots of Optimism (title page only) by Susan C., MD Vaughan ISBN: 015601100X Publisher: Harvest Books Pub. Date: 01 April, 2001 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
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Title: The Evolution of Desire: Strategies of Human Mating by David M. Buss ISBN: 046500802X Publisher: Basic Books Pub. Date: 01 July, 2003 List Price(USD): $17.50 |
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Title: Silent Power by Stuart Wilde ISBN: 1561705365 Publisher: Hay House Pub. Date: 01 July, 1998 List Price(USD): $7.00 |
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Title: VITAL LIES SIMPLE TRUTHS: The Psychology of Self Deception by Daniel Goleman ISBN: 0684831074 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Pub. Date: 01 January, 1996 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: The Mating Mind: How Sexual Choice Shaped the Evolution of Human Nature by Geoffrey Miller ISBN: 038549517X Publisher: Anchor Books/Doubleday Pub. Date: 17 April, 2001 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
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