Modern Genetic Analysis [Hardcover]

Griffiths (Author), William M. Gelbart (Author), Jeffrey H. Miller (Author), Richard C. Lewontin (Author), Anthony J. F. Griffiths (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0716735970 | ISBN-13: 978-0716735977 | Publication Date: December 1998 | Edition: Bk&CD-Rom

Modern Genetic Analysis Hardcover book

Product Details

• Hardcover: 686 pages
• Publisher: W H Freeman & Co (Sd); Bk&CD-Rom edition (December 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0716735970
• ISBN-13: 978-0716735977
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,530,572 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Uncoordinated Mishmash, February 20, 2000

By 

Harry Richards (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Modern Genetic Analysis (Hardcover)

This textbook is a mess! Certain sections such as those that deal with classical transmission genetics are reasonably good. On the other hand, those sections that deal with recombinant DNA/genomic technology and the molecular basis of cancer are very weak. The writing in these sections is convoluted, and the level of coverage fluctuates wildly between oversimplification and mind-numbing detail. The book does not seem to have a clear target audience in mind, and the authors appear to have not spoken with each other during the writing. Considering the relative strengths of their earlier text, "Introduction to Genetic Analysis," this new effort is all the more disappointing.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Definitely readable, but not much depth, February 9, 2000

By 

"tigger-j" (Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Modern Genetic Analysis (Hardcover)

The text is certainly reader-friendly...good layout, font, and spacing (very important 3am in the morning when you're cramming) and very good figures. However, its very readability seems to stem from its lack of content; the genetics text that I had used in high school seemed to have more detail than this one, which is generally used as a college textbook. A very basic textbook for an introductory genetics class, nothing more.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The first genetics text with a "DNA-first" approach, March 10, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Modern Genetic Analysis (Hardcover)

Genetics has traditionally been taught with the topics in historical order, starting with Mendel and only later reaching molecular genetics. However, it is much more logical to explain Mendelian genetics in the context of molecular genetics. (No other science abandons a logical building-up of concepts in return for historical chronology!) Griffiths and colleagues are the first to write a text with this preferable and long-overdue approach. Their overall organization is the best that I've seen. While many of the chapters are very well written, there are some parts of the book that are substandard and hopelessly jumbled, such as the chapter on mutational mechanisms and DNA repair. As this is a first edition, I am optimistic that these problems will be ironed out in the second edition. Another criticism is that the figures are adequate but not outstanding; the artists should take lessons from their colleagues who worked on Genetics: From Genes to Genomes by Hartwell and colleagues. Despite its drawbacks, I prefer this text to others that are available.