The Machinery of Life [Paperback]

David S. Goodsell (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0387982736 | ISBN-13: 978-0387982731 | Publication Date: December 19, 1997

All living cells are made up of an extraordinary collection of tiny molecular machines, which orchestrate the millions of tasks needed for life. Cells build these machines for a variety of purposes: to digest food, to propel them to fertile feeding grounds or away from predators, to store the genetic blueprint, and to fight disease-causing invaders. The Machinery of Life is a journey into the sub-microscopic world of molecular machines. The reader is first introduced to the types of molecules built by cells: proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and polysaccharides. In a series of distinctive illustrations, the reader is then guided through the interior world of cells, exploring the ways in which molecules work in concert to perform the processes of living. Finally, the book shows how vitamins, viruses, poisons, and drugs each have their effects on the molecules in our bodies. The author and illustrator, David Goodsell, has prepared a fascinating introduction to biochemistry for the nonspecialist. This book combines a clear text with an abundance of drawings and computer graphics that present the world of cells and their components in a new and unique way.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The cell is the basic unit of life, but most of us have at best a fuzzy, low-power idea of how cells are put together and what they look like. "The microscopic world of molecules is separated from our everyday world by an insurmountable, million-fold difference in size," says David Goodsell. "I created the illustrations in this book to help bridge this gulf and allow us to look at the molecular structure of cells, if not directly, then in an artistic rendition." Goodsell has succeeded remarkably. His pictures, mostly line drawings, show the structures of crucial biochemicals and the boggling intricacy of their arrangement in living cells. "A few minutes' study may be needed to overcome the feeling of claustrophobia," said Nature, "but will reward the reader with a lasting impression of the density and complexity of this soup of life." --Mary Ellen Curtin

Review

"the drawings are among the most instructive one can find in structural biology, and the mechanisms of life are elegantly explained ... The genius of the book is in its simplicity ... a fresh and engaging book..." Nature "an impressive and original book...Elaborate and fascinating drawings present crowded sections of living cells..." Scientific American

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Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Springer (December 19, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0387982736
• ISBN-13: 978-0387982731
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,079,065 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, January 24, 2004

By A Customer

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

A beautiful introduction to the cell. Couldn't put it down. Goodsell has a rare combination of beautiful illustrations and lucid, and concise text. Only complaint is that I wish that the publisher had spent the money to put all of the images in color. Goodsell's watercolors are even better and would have been worth the printing price.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensable for cell biologists and biochemists!, June 18, 2002

By 

Erik L. Snapp (Bronx, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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

Goodsell has written a deceptively simple book. The illustrations should be incorporated into undergraduate and graduate level cell biology and biochemistry classes. Goodsell's point is that the environment of the cell is not that of a test tube. The environment is densely packed with proteins and organelles that will concentrate effective concentrations of reaction constituents and potentially restrict the mobility of larger proteins and organelles. Goodsell illustrates the point that size does matter.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Gem, November 11, 2008

By 

Joshua Glazer "JLG" (New Jersey) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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

This is another book that, only a few chapters in, I decided was just awesome. After going through several library books trying to teach myself biology (actually, biochemistry, but I did not know that) I came across this one pretty much by accident. It has many great, great simple, simple explanations that yet still provide a road for insight into the most basic functions of life and the cell.