A Life Decoded - by J Craig Venter (Paperback)

About the Book

In this triumphant true story of one of the most fascinating and controversial figures in science today, Venter tells of the unparalleled drama in the quest to map the human genome--a tale that involves as much politics as science. 16-page b&w photo insert.

Book Synopsis

The triumphant memoir of the man behind one of the greatest feats in scientific history

Of all the scientific achievements of the past century, perhaps none can match the deciphering of the human genetic code, both for its technical brilliance and for its implications for our future. In A Life Decoded, J. Craig Venter traces his rise from an uninspired student to one of the most fascinating and controversial figures in science today. Here, Venter relates the unparalleled drama of the quest to decode the human genome?a goal he predicted he could achieve years earlier and more cheaply than the government-sponsored Human Genome Project, and one that he fulfilled in 2001. A thrilling story of detection, A Life Decoded is also a revealing, and often troubling, look at how science is practiced today.

Review Quotes

? [Venter is] not just trying to understand how life works; he's trying to make it work for him, and for us.?
?"The Atlantic"

? [The] media has called Venter many things: maverick, publicity hound, risk-taker, brash, controversial, genius, manic, rebellious, visionary, audacious, arrogant, feisty, determined, provocative. His autobiography shows that they are all justified.?
?"Nature"

? "A Life Decoded" offers a window into the life and mind of a scientist who . . . has indisputably become an extraordinary figure.?
?"Science"



[Venter is] not just trying to understand how life works; he s trying to make it work for him, and for us.
"The Atlantic"
[The] media has called Venter many things: maverick, publicity hound, risk-taker, brash, controversial, genius, manic, rebellious, visionary, audacious, arrogant, feisty, determined, provocative. His autobiography shows that they are all justified.
"Nature"
"A Life Decoded" offers a window into the life and mind of a scientist who . . . has indisputably become an extraordinary figure.
"Science"

a [Venter is] not just trying to understand how life works; heas trying to make it work for him, and for us.a
a"The Atlantic"
a [The] media has called Venter many things: maverick, publicity hound, risk-taker, brash, controversial, genius, manic, rebellious, visionary, audacious, arrogant, feisty, determined, provocative. His autobiography shows that they are all justified.a
a"Nature"
a "A Life Decoded" offers a window into the life and mind of a scientist who . . . has indisputably become an extraordinary figure.a
a"Science"

With Venter, there must always be something new swelling on the horizon . . . he alone is taking the measure of lifes true diversity and dreaming up new life-forms at the same time.
"Wired"
[Venter is] not just trying to understand how life works; hes trying to make it work for him, and us.
"The Atlantic Monthly"

About the Author

J. Craig Venter is the founder, chairman, and CEO of the J. Craig Venter Institute, a nonprofit research organization dedicated to genomic research. He is also the founder and CEO of Synthetic Genomics, Inc. He lives in La Jolla, California.