Paul Nurse

2020

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A quick and clear introduction to all the main currents in modern biology, especially cell and molecular biology, explained with a fantastic clarity.

The five main chapters and the conclusion all address the core idea of approaching the question of "what is life?" from multiple perspectives. But there's also an additional chapter on how science and scientists need to engage with the wider world, with decision-makers and popular culture, that deserves more prominence than as what is, essentially, an essay sitting slightly uncomfortably with the thrust of the rest of the book.

5/5. Finished 23 October 2020.

(Originally published on Goodreads.)