Following the biography of cancer “The King of All Diseases” and the non-fiction book “The Gene” intertwined with his family history, Pulitzer Prize winner Siddhartha Mukherjee once again delivers exciting, informative, and beautifully written non-fiction. The focus of the “cell song” is the smallest organizational unit in life.
The American Indian oncologist describes, among other things, the discovery of the cell by microscopes Anthony van Leeuwenhoek and Robert Hooke and how the physician Rudolf Virchow discovered that life arises through cell reproduction. It also explains modern immunotherapy and how cells can be modified for therapeutic purposes using genetic engineering. There is some overlap in content with Mukherjee’s first two books. But those who enjoyed reading this will also enjoy making the follow-up. Life stories of famous researchers and patients ease the reading and keep the suspense going.
The book thrives on its own personal style and emotional look at the people who shaped Mukherjee’s career. The book, with black and white photos and graphics, is aimed at interested laypeople and biologically trained readers. The author explains the technical terms in an understandable way; The comprehensive index and footnotes refer to further literature. The Cell Song is a “must” for anyone who wants to understand what “at its core binds life together” – and how we can use that knowledge to conquer disease.
“Explorer. Communicator. Music geek. Web buff. Social media nerd. Food fanatic.”
More Stories
Sony Music Group warns more than 700 companies against using its content to train artificial intelligence
The study finds that the giant alien planet has the density of fluffy cotton candy
Review by Rei Watanabe – The Works of a Peasant