The Machinery of Life [Hardcover]

David S. Goodsell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 28, 2009 | ISBN-10: 0387849246 | ISBN-13: 978-0387849249 | Edition: 2nd ed. 2nd Printing.

The Machinery of Life is a journey into the sub-microscopic world of molecular machines. Readers are introduced to the types of molecules built by cells, including proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and polysaccharides; then, in a series of full-color "watercolor" illustrations, which show a portion of a living cell magnified by 1,000,000 times, the reader is guided through the interior world of cells. The book explores the ways in which molecules work in concert to perform the processes of living, and how vitamins, viruses, poisons, and drugs each have their effects on the molecules in our bodies. The book is a fascinating introduction to biochemistry for the non-specialist, and combines a lucid text with an abundance of drawings and computer graphics that present the world of cells and their components in a truly unique way. This new edition has been updated to include the many major advances of the past decade, and is richly illustrated in full color throughout.

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the reviews of the second edition: "The Machinery of Life is a journey into the sub-microscopic world of molecular machines. Readers are introduced to the types of molecules within the cell, including proteins, nucleic acids, lipids and polysaccharides. … The Machinery of Life is a pictorial overview of the molecules that orchestrate the processes of life. … The book provides a fascinating introduction to biochemistry and molecular biology for the non-specialists … . It is written in clear, jargon-free text that is accessible to the lay reader." (Medical News Today, May, 2009) "This book is amazing. … this second edition is a major update. And what it conveys is the sheer unbelievable intricacy – and realness – of every cell in your body. David Goodsell … accomplishes this via amazing full-color illustrations, paintings based on computer animations created from microscope images. … It’s slim, readable and engaging, a nonfiction book that calls to you from the nightstand table. If you are even a little curious about how cells work, get your hands on The Machinery of Life." (Lisa Parsons, The Hippo, July, 2009) "The Machinery of Life, which is a new edition of Goodsell’s 1993 book of the same name. … the author’s full-color illustrations are astonishing, forcing the reader to dwell for minutes on every picture. They are based on data from scientific papers, electron microscopy and information about molecular structures that were obtained by X-ray crystallography. … He does a good job. … Goodsell’s technique is remarkable. He uses a combination of hand-drawing and computer graphics illustration." (Weanée Kimblewood, Lab Times, Issue 5, September, 2009) "Anyone who finds biology, especially modern biology at the molecular level, quite baffling and bristling with incomprehensible jargon – this could be the book for you! … David Goodsell is clearly a master of communication, conveying complex biological processes with great clarity. … An excellent gift, then, for anyone interested in learning about biology in an enjoyable way. A book bursting with colour and genuinely difficult to put down … ." (Michael Smith, Chemistry World, December, 2009) “In science, true understanding comes with the ability to visualize the system. For students of cell and molecular biology, this visualization often comes in the form of diagrams simplified in the name of clarity. … Using coordinates taken from the RCSB Protein Data Bank, Goodsell’s wonderfully drawn illustrations are true to the scale and shape of the real molecules. … This work will be enjoyed by all who are interested in the molecular processes … from new students to experienced scientists. Summing Up: Highly recommended.” (D. Carroll, Choice, Vol. 47 (4), December, 2009) “This well-written, beautifully illustrated volume serves as an introduction to the molecules that compose cells and viruses. The book is written at a very accessible level and is appropriate for nonspecialists and students beginning their study in biology. … experienced biologists will appreciate the lucid treatment of complex concepts, particularly the idea of molecular crowding in cells. … In summary, the easy-to-read narrative and beautiful illustrations of The Machinery of Life make this volume worthwhile to recommend to both nonspecialists as well as practicing biologists.” (A. James Link, The Quarterly Review of Biology, Vol. 85 (1), March, 2010)

About the Author

Dr. David S. Goodsell is Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular Biology at The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA. His illustrations have become well known and now appear in many publications as the primary demonstration of the crowded nature of cells. He has also provided expertise and illustrations to many science museums, most recently acting as a "thinking partner” for a new multi-site nanotechnology initiative headed in part by the Exploratorium in San Francisco.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 177 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 2nd ed. 2nd Printing. edition (April 28, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0387849246
• ISBN-13: 978-0387849249
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #44,836 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #22 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Biology > Molecular Biology

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Biology Book ever, May 22, 2009

By 

Jonathan Huntoon - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Machinery of Life (Hardcover)

The Machinery of Life is the best book on molecular biology I have ever read. If you have ever looked into a microscope and saw a blob an wanted to see further into that blob this is the book for you. Microscopes can only go so far. This book goes all the way down to the atom then back up to the small molecule then big molecule, then macro molecule, then even a near atomic understanding of a cell. The tone is clear and the grand architecture of the cell's machinery is masterfully explained as well as illustrated. I bought two copies. One for me and one to give to friends. This is a great book to give to your parents or grandparents who want to know what you do at work if your work in molecular/cellular biology or even immunology.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Student reviews from Wake Forest Freshman Seminar, October 14, 2009

By 

Jed Macosko (Winston-Salem, NC) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Machinery of Life (Hardcover)

David Goodsell's Machinery of Life, is by far the best introduction to molecular Biology that I have ever come across. This book approaches the daunting and at times intimidating subject of molecular biology with simplicity and eloquence. Life inside a cell is so small and hectic that most of the time it is near impossible to fully comprehend what is occurring, but Goodsell's use of images make cellular life much easier to understand. As reviewers have mentioned above the illustrations in this book are what makes it a truly magical read. The illustrations are so powerful and engaging that they help the reader take knowledge of cell and transform it into a true overall understanding of the happenings within a cell. Whether it be simple pictures of protein folding, or a more involved look at the way in which DNA winds itself within the cell, it is clear that after seeing the pictures ones understanding is significantly enhanced. In addition, Goodsell uses very simple writing in his descriptions, and provides many examples. Because of this he does a truly great job in not losing the reader in a topic which can become very dense and difficult to grasp. In all, this book is really great, if you want to know about molecular biology or just know more about it this book is for you.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The visual aspect of The Machinery of Life (2nd Edition), June 27, 2009

By 

Yan Liang "L2XY2" (Minneapolis, MN USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Machinery of Life (Hardcover)

The Machinery of Life (2nd Edition) is an excellent introduction to molecular biology. The book uses concise text and beautiful illustrations to reveal the mechanisms of the molecular machines in every life, making you wonder at the achievements of these invisible molecules.

The unique features of this book are the watercolor paintings that display the cellular interiors with all the molecular machines presented with scientific rigor. These paintings can be seen as the "snapshots" of the cell at high magnification (1,000,000X). The author carefully chose the composition so that the desired molecular machines and the relationship between them are clearly revealed. Some paintings are more than snapshots: they are smartly designed to show certain processes occurring in the cell, such as the death of a cell and the life cycle of a virus. These paintings can be thought as movie frames that are seamlessly fused together.

Besides these paintings, space-filling computer renderings are used to illustrate the detailed structures and functions of the molecular machines. Two kind of styles are used. One is the unique style used by the author for the Molecule of the Month series at Protein Data Bank (PDB). Molecules rendered with this style has a hand-drawing appearance, and blend seamless with the watercolor paintings. The other style is commonly used by scientists to illustrate the atomic structures and interactions of small molecules. Personally I think these renderings are too computer-like, and do not fit in very well with other illustrations. But this is a very minor complaint.

Dr. Goodsell is a master of using color to present scientific images. The colors are chosen so well that on the one hand the information is clearly communicated, and on the other hand the illustration are pleasant to eyes.

Overall, this is a wonderful book. I have been a fan for Dr. Goodsell for a long time, collecting many of his articles and drawings. And this book certainly makes me happy because of its interesting contents, beautiful illustrations, and affordable price. Anyone who is interested in the molecular biology or the visual presentation of biomolecules should read this book.