The Science of Desire: The Search for the Gay Gene and the Biology of Behavior [Hardcover]

Dean Hamer (Author), Peter Copeland (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0671887246 | ISBN-13: 978-0671887247 | Publication Date: October 6, 1994 | Edition: First Edition

Dean Hamer and his team of researchers at the National Cancer Institute made a remarkable discovery: in families with two gay brothers, 33 out of 40 pairs shared a distinctive pattern in one region of the X chromosone, a far higher number than chance alone would predict. DNA and family studies confirmed a much higher than average rate of homosexuality among male relatives on the mother's side of the family. The discovery of the gene marker - popularly, though inaccurately called the "gay gene" - launched a furious international debate about profound scientific, social and ethical issues. Would it be possible to test prenatally for it? And would parents abort a foetus with the gene? The author tackles these and other important questions with a mixture of scientific objectivity, scepticism and compassion.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this admirably lucid and surprisingly lively book, Hamer, chief of genetic research at the National Cancer Institute, assisted by Copeland, a correspondent for the Scripps-Howard newspaper chain, recounts his discovery of a pattern on the X chromosome that, in families with two gay brothers, 33 out of 40 such pairs share. He was thus able to link sexual orientation with genetic makeup. This discovery is all the more noteworthy when we consider, as Hamer points out, "the scientific literature contains more articles on the genetics of eye color in fruit flies than on the biology of human sexuality." He is careful to explain that genetic predisposition alone does not "cause" homosexuality; environmental factors must also be taken into account, and a complete picture of the genesis of homosexuality is still far in the future. Hamer simplifies complex ideas for general readers (the structure of interlocking strands of DNA is described as "chemical Velcro") and explores the ethical implications of a "gay gene" with laudable compassion and common sense.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

After reading books by Charles Darwin and Richard Lewontin, Hamer (a yeast geneticist at the National Cancer Institute) discovered that little is known about behavioral genetics in humans. He was intrigued enough to change his research direction. This book is a personalized account of the luck, pleasures, and pitfalls involved in scientific investigation-from the germ of an idea about genetic markers for homosexuality to results suggesting that the X-chromosome carries a marker for male homosexuality and speculation on the evolutionary and physiological mechanisms involved. Hamer's research included an intimate exploration of the development of homosexual behavior, family histories, and, finally, careful statistical and molecular analysis. Fortunately for Hamer, he already occupied a prestigious position that covered his day-to-day laboratory needs since the path he chose had many barriers, including hostility from celebrated scientists and intense public attention. While the topic may be offensive to some, this is an engaging odyssey through the mind of a scientist on a controversial path, with much musing, justification, and reassessment along the way. Recommended for both lay readers and specialists.
Constance Rinaldo, Dartmouth Coll., Hanover, N.H.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster; First Edition edition (October 6, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671887246
• ISBN-13: 978-0671887247
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #695,638 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent lay description of one search for a gay gene, July 6, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Science of Desire: The Search for the Gay Gene and the Biology of Behavior (Paperback)

I very much enjoyed reading this book and learned a lot from it both about the way in which these particular researchers are going about their work and about genetics in general.

Hamer is the Chief of the Section on Gene Structure and Regulation in the Department of Biochemistry at the National Cancer Institute. This book describes in lay terms the work that led to the publication of the scientific paper entitled "A Linkage Between DNA Markers on the X Chromosome and Male Sexual Orientation". The goal of the study was to determine whether male sexual orientation was "genetically influenced" and what they found was "a statistically significant correlation between the inheritance of genetic markers on chromosomal region Xq28 and sexual orientation in a selected group of homosexual males." The statistical significance was strong: the odds of the correlation happening by chance was only 1 out of 100,000.

Before they started looking at genes, Hamer and his group considered the family histories of the pairs of gay brothers who he used in his study. The researchers found more gay men on the maternal side and eventually realized that this was due to recessive X-linked inheritance. "X-linked traits always are passed to men through the mother's side of the family, which is the pattern we were seeing for homosexuality."

The book carefully explains how the research was done and what conclusions could and could not be drawn from it. They did not find a gay gene; they only showed that one exists. It does not "determine" homosexuality; it is only one factor in the makeup of those gay men who inherited it. There may be other genes that play a role and there are surely many environmental factors that influence the expression of homosexuality. Some of the evidence from Hamer's study "suggests that Xq28 plays some role in about 5 to 30 percent of gay men."

The book closes with a chapter on the social implications of this research. There is also an interesting chapter addressing the question "How could a gay gene survive consistent with the facts of evolution?"

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Getting your money's worth, August 9, 2003

By 

Arthur V. Dieli (Sacramento, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Science of Desire: The Search for the Gay Gene and the Biology of Behavior (Hardcover)

Dean Hamer, the scientist, and Peter Copeland, the writer have produced an informative entre to the complex world of the genome for the general reader. They've done the job in a very interesting but measured manner. While the book is dated, it is not outdated.

5 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bloody brilliant book, September 23, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Auckland New Zealand) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Science of Desire: The Search for the Gay Gene and the Biology of Behavior (Hardcover)

A really good piece of scientific writing that is not only good, well researched science, but is also well written. Dean Hamer has proved something that I'd already known since I was knee high to a grasshopper, but its good to see proof for those who dont already know this from personal experience.