Concepts of Genetics (7th Edition) (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Michael R. Cummings (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This book is known for its clear writing style, emphasis on concepts, visual art program and thoughtful coverage of all areas of genetics. The authors capture readers' interest with up-to-date coverage of cutting-edge topics and research. The authors emphasize those concepts that readers should come to understand and take away with them, not a myriad of details and exceptions that need to memorized and are soon forgotten. In addition to topics traditionally covered in genetics, this book has increased coverage of genomics, including proteomics and bioinformatics, biotechnology, and contains more real-world problems. For anyone in biology, agriculture or health science who is interested in genetics.

From the Publisher

A proven bestseller, the Fifth Edition of Concepts of Genetics continues to set the standard for introductory genetics texts. The text is known for its clear writing style, emphasis on concepts, visual art program and thoughtful coverage of all areas of genetics. Noteworthy enhancements of the Fifth Edition include revised organization, modernization of cutting-edge topics and research, expansion of problem sets, and extensive revision of population and evolutionary genetics. New supplements for the professor and student include a CD-ROM presentation tool, World Wide Web connection for students and a New York Times genetics supplement. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 800 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall; 7 edition (July 25, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0130929980
• ISBN-13: 978-0130929983
• Product Dimensions: 12.5 x 11.2 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #766,971 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended text on genetics, July 18, 1999

By	James Turner (Menlo Park, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Concepts of Genetics (Hardcover)

Concepts of Genetics is an outstanding book. It is the assigned text for a course in genetics that I am taking which is taught through the UC Berkeley Extension program. Course reading assignments cover all but two chapters and so far we have covered about 2/3 of them.

I really like the authors' approach to the subject. They do an excellent job of describing complex material in a way that makes it clear and understandable. The many diagrams, drawings and tables are an integral part of the coverage and help significantly to clarify the written explanations. The authors also have a good sense for the history of genetics, describing clearly many key experiments that have been done to establish the key principles.

The material has obviously been updated with most recent available results. The authors frequently point out areas of most intense current research. The text is definitely not light reading but if you want to learn the material, you will find it very well presented here.

24 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A descent book for beginners, February 7, 2004

By	"ndbrown6" (USA) - See all my reviews

Before making any critics about this book I should stress upon the fact that the authors well deserve a four star rating for this most readable book, both for the writing style and for the contents. Almost everything written is clear, concise and well presented. The captions are of high quality and if you ever buy this book feel sure that you are not wasting your money! I am referring in particular to chapter 16: Genetics of Bacteria and Bacteriophages which in reality is quite tricky but here presented with simple words. You may not have to read it more than once for you will understand it right from the first lecture. For in-depth study though you might need something more advanced!
However I did not really appreciate the way the fluctuation test of S.Luria and M.Delbruk was presented nor was the following work of J.Cairns and B.Hall in chapter 14: Gene mutation, DNA repair and Transposable elements. There seems to lack the true essence of it. Furthermore the existence of mutational hotspots is limited to a subsection only of chapter 14 and a few lines on the work of S.Benzer. Even B.Lewin in Genes VII gives a better treatment of mutational hotspots. Finally I would have expected a chapter on Mutations to talk about mutator mutations as possible ways to increase or decrease the spontaneous mutation rate but no such references were made.
Despite these few things, if you love genetics or need an introductory course be sure that this book is meant for you!

16 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A good book? Not a good textbook -- that's for sure!, July 25, 1999

By	E. Pone (West Palm Beach, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Concepts of Genetics (Hardcover)

This is my first one-star review that I've given any book (even that, only because they did not have a zero-star option). I had this book for my genetics class last semester (spring '99). I found the book to be written in a research paper style rather than in a textbook language.

Those of you in the field would say that's exactly the style a genetics book should have. I disagree. It is not about making an already diffucult subject even more difficult and inaccessable. It is about presenting the subject so that the student can learn as much as possible out of it. It is about making the student want to stick to the book. The book definitely failed to accomplish this both in my case and for most of my classmates.

Some of you might think my reason for hating this book is that I failed the class: I actually ranked #1 at the end of the course (My name is E. Pone, a senior bio student at Palm Beach Atlantic College, W. P. Beach, Florida). I am a good student (4.0 GPA) and as far as textbooks are concerned, I am one of those people that like the smell of a new textbook, and can't wait till a new book or edition comes out (by the way, I hope a new edition of this one never comes out).

I read the whole book, did a lot of problems (and as I said did quite well on the class) but strangely found myself dozzing off wile trying to go through this book.

Another factor why I so disliked the book was the contrast of the book to the lecturing style of my proffessor, Dr. Goss: an outstanding fellow, and clear as crystal.

Bottom line: I'd rather read a scientifically incorrect textbook written from someone with an M.E., than a research paper type of book from some big-ego Ph.D. So, if any of you out there is like me, do yourselves a favor and buy another book. You won't need a lot of depth at this point, you don't need details on every line -- you'll get that in grad school or on the job. All you need is a good introduction to the concepts (for the fifth time, this book fails to do precisely that).