The Making of the Fittest

DNA and the Ultimate Forensic Record of Evolution

By: Sean B. Carroll

Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor

Length: 8 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

DNA evidence not only solves crimes; in Sean Carroll's hands, it will now end the Evolution Wars.

DNA is the genetic material that defines us as individuals. Over the last two decades, it has emerged as a powerful tool for solving crimes and determining guilt and innocence. But, very recently, an important new aspect of DNA has been revealed: it contains a detailed record of evolution. That is, DNA is a living chronicle of how the marvelous creatures that inhabit our planet have adapted to its many environments, from the freezing waters of the Antarctic to the lush canopy of the rain forest.

In this fascinating narrative, Sean Carroll guides listeners on a tour of the massive DNA record of three billion years of evolution to see how the fittest are made. And what an eye-opening tour it is - one featuring immortal genes, fossil genes, and genes that bear the scars of past battles with horrible diseases. This book clinches the case for evolution, beyond any reasonable doubt.

©2007 Sean B. Carroll (P)2007 Tantor Media Inc.

Critic reviews

"Carroll offers some provocative and convincing evidence." (Publishers Weekly)
"Here is evolution clearly explained and stoutly defended." (Booklist)

An understandable story of genetics and evolution

Where does The Making of the Fittest rank among all the audiobooks you???ve listened to so far?

Among the best.

What did you like best about this story?

Clear and understandable to a layman like me.

Have you listened to any of Patrick Lawlor???s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Never heard him before but his reading is exellent!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. I listen upon retiring each night and upon waking a few times. No problem; I simply use my MP3 sleep timer and repeat parts as often as necessary until I've heard it all.

Any additional comments?

Sean B. Carroll is an excellent biologist and geneticist with a great gift for making his subjects understood by laymen. I listen to books in order to fall asleep (repeatedly) at night. Carroll???s charts and graphs are available on line but they???re not convenient for my purpose. However, the book is fascinating nevertheless. Carroll traces certain effects back to their genetic origins and describes genes that persist through evolution in species after species. This is a very interesting and understandable story told by an expert geneticist and storyteller.

Very good and also a disappointment

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

learned a lot

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Making of the Fittest?

The first reference to illustrations that are not available.

Which scene was your favorite?

no scenes

Do you think The Making of the Fittest needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

don't know

Any additional comments?

The book makes constant references to illustrations that are nowhere to be found.

magical

This book is a magical story about biology. It is written in a style like some of the science shows like 'Cosmos.' It is filled with tons of facts and examples but it is such a fun story you don't even realize how much you learned.

No further clinching needed, really

This is an outstanding book. The editorial review promises to "clinch" the case for evolution- as if it needed any further clinching. This piece of work does deliver. It indirectly points out the crucial need for strengthening science curricula in our schools.

Unfortunately, I suspect more than one may dismiss the author's solid scientific arguments due to a lack of a basic understanding of biological sciences. Although the book may sometimes seem too basic to somebody with a background in biological disciplines, the opposite may be the case for a more general audience. The fact is, however, that science is not easy. It needs to be learned from basic principles, with progressive levels of complexity being laid on previous knowledge.

Rather than spending so many resources trying to force the teaching of illogical, scientifically unsound, and plain nonsensical fairy tales in our schools, why not expand the teaching of the wondrous world of real science? As the author proposes, cultural and religious factors are responsible for this great disservice to future generations.

Against the backdrop of compelling scientific facts, the conciliatory tone towards religion, at least non-fundamentalist religious views, assumed by the author in Chapter 9 is somewhat disconcerting. Still, this is a minor issue in the context of this excellent review of why stating that evolution is "just another theory", whose scientific stature is shared by relabeled Creationism (i.e., Intelligent Design), is simply not tenable, reflecting a major lack of scientific rigor.

I agree with a previous reviewer that the narrator could refer us less often to the book's website. Also, there are a few mispronunciations of technical terms interspersed throughout the book. These are very minor details that do not substract from the content of this excellent work.

Outstanding examples!

For me (I teach evolution) the best part of this book is the premise that we use DNA fingerprinting every day in the court systems and no one has a problem with its evolutionary implications. I am embarrassed that this had never occurred to me. For the teacher, this book is loaded with excellent examples and demonstrates our existing understanding of how DNA reveals evolution. The science in this book is extremely accessible to all levels of knowledge. The recording itself is quite clear and the narrator easy to listen to.

Leaves you wanting more.

I really enjoyed the book. A very good book that explains how evolution works. It shows that everything really isn't just chance and that sometimes evolution does not benefit the organism.
Highly recommend.

Pft. Seriously.

I don't know...

Evolution isn't really an argument anymore, we know how things evolve, but the missing link is still not really explained. There are a few things in our evolutionary transition from Neanderthal Man to Space Man, that don't add up. I am not christian creationist "Let there be Light!!" believer and I would not care how humans have came to be. However I am interested and every time someone comes up with a book that says they absolutely have the answer I buy it hoping they do. Beyond a reasonable doubt.... Not yet. When you see how long it takes for things to evolve the smallest thing and we go from Zero to Hero in miniscule blink of an eye. The only people that can slam me are the people that are RELIGIOUSLY one sided. The extremes are on both sides of the fence. I have talked with Evolutionist that were more imposing than some of the hard-core southern bible thumpers, there is no debating with them, it's an absolute.

Second this guys tiptoes around all the subjects trying to build his case and then when he should be slamming his point home he give a general opinion that can be interpreted different ways...

In general it was a good book, explained some confusing subjects in easy to understand details. It was obviously one sided.

Must read for Evolutionary Genetics!

The phrase "Use it or Lose it" takes on a much greater meaning in this highly detailed but extremely readable discussion of evolutionary genetics.
Making of the Fittess compared the molecular structure of light sensitive proteins (opsins} in the retina of the eyes of animal that lived in different types of light conditions and then examine the differences in the genes that allow animals to detect a particular wave lenght or color of light illustrating how natural selection works. When there was no advantages for an animal to see a particular color, the gene responsible was not used and eventually became inactive and that type of opsin was not produced. These inactive genes bcome non-functional and Carroll term these genes "fossil genes" which remained in the geome until eventually being lost to the organism. So "used it or lose it" acutally applies to the inactive gene. The type of light environment the animal lives in determines the type of light sensitive proteins (opsins) it has illustrating how natural selection works. Knowing the type of "fossil genes" of opsin allow you determine evolutionary relationships. It been awhile since they discovered the change in the gene that lead to Sickle Cell Anemia but "Making of The Fittess" allows us to examine many new specific changes in genes and how these changes lead to making of the fittess.

Introductory Jr college class for non-biologists

author is erudite. well written. but textbook-like. better read than heard probably as the illustrations are critical if you don't already know how DNA and transcription work. and in a book it's easier to skip the long introduction and stuff you already know.
If you are bright and skeptical and relatively uneducated about biology, and especially if you have heard rhetoric from anti-evolutionists, you are the target audience.
The text is missing a couple elements. 1. How the toolbox or immortal genes came into existence not mentioned; critics may have math on their side when you consider only the piecemeal construction methods of random mutation and selection. 2. Epi-genetics is not mentioned. this is very new and I was hoping to learn about it here.
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Elementary Review of Evolution

I’ve read a few books on genetics and evolution, and this is probably the weakest. The author is so preoccupied with addressing creationists that he misses the opportunity to let the science speak for itself. The anecdotes he selects are informative, but the tone of absolute certainty about why or how things evolve is a little off-putting to anyone who works in the scientific field (claiming, for instance, certain traits are “done” evolving and others are not just sounds silly). The author also often talks down to the audience, never missing a chance to talk about how fascinating it is that most people are not as educated as they might be (a favorite line was “if Einstein was just a bit more clever”). The narration is also mediocre, with terrible accents for every quotation.