The Code Breaker

By: Walter Isaacson

Narrated by: Kathe Mazur, Walter Isaacson - introduction and epilogue

Length: 16 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

The best-selling author of Leonardo da Vinci and Steve Jobs returns.

In 2012, Nobel Prize winning scientist Jennifer Doudna hit upon an invention that will transform the future of the human race: an easy-to-use tool that can edit DNA.

Known as CRISPR, it opened a brave new world of medical miracles and moral questions. It has already been deployed to cure deadly diseases, fight the coronavirus pandemic of 2020 and make inheritable changes in the genes of babies.

But what does that mean for humanity? Should we be hacking our own DNA to make us less susceptible to disease? Should we democratise the technology that would allow parents to enhance their kids?

After discovering this CRISPR, Doudna is now wrestling these even bigger issues.

The Code Breaker is an examination of how life as we know it is about to change - and a brilliant portrayal of the woman leading the way.

©2021 Walter Isaacson. All rights reserved (P)2021 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Incredible

If you like sci fi, you’ll love this book. It’s interesting to learn about the frontiers that science could push in the near future. There are so many moral dilemmas addressed in this book. Great for personal reflection and for conversation with others.

I want to become a biologist now

This books explains how CRISPR was discovered and it’s impact. It’s incredible to see what this technology is doing and what it can do!

Clarifying and inspiring

After Leonardo, Jobs, Einstein, and the rest, Walter Isaacson proves yet again his ability to systematically approach one person's life's achievements and provide the reader (listener) with all the historical context to aporeciate its impact, importance, and scale. As fascinating as it is illuminating. Great performance by Kathe Mazur. An essential read or listen and thoroughly recommended.

Wonderul

Great and very interesting book. It’s not just about people who change history of science. It also gives some knowledge about DNA, RNA, Crispr and other science breakthroughs

interesting topic but writing is biased

such an interesting topic. Some of book was about Doudna, some about history of CRSPR, some seemed to be author's opinions. Much of book was biased and therefore didn't given a balanced history/story. Moralising was introduced and author's opinions shaded the story. At points, I wanted to give up on the book but I continued until the end. The story makes you believe that there is a lot of collaboration in science but that the American desire to be at the top ruins it.

eye opening

All the facts needed to help see through the web of information about the current global situation. great book,comes at the right time to combat misinformation about vaccines.

Starts well but more biography than science

Starts well with a good balance of the science and story but gets to bogged down in the arguments between researchers. Also repeats itself a lot.

Interesting story but..

read in a monotone. Given the significance of this history why have it read like giving map directions?

It can get a little bit boring at times.

This is not to say that it is not a book with many redeeming merits and moments to it. But is a remarkable book for those who are gifted in, students of chemistry, or are gifted with an innate understanding of chemistry and,in particular, genetics. Unfortunately, I am not that well educated in the richer, and deeper corners of chemistry. The book has its moments of intense interest.Unfortunately for me, my background in cheistry and genetics was only enough to turn me into a very fine and highly sought after trauma nurse. Had I read the introduction to the book ,instead os instantly assumig it was about WW2 or Navoho codebreakers on the Japanese front. So my own carelessness taught me a valuable lesson I will continue to treasure, had I taken my time and not rushed in to pick the book without realizing that my background in research chemistry and especially genetic research and the fascination that lies in that field of study. So, by mistake and in my own haste for an absorbing read, I picked out a book which was quite smater than this reader is. But I do reccomend the book to those with the background and interest in these fields of study and research, and are prepared to absorb the knowledge with in its covers.

True to the book

For people who want to buy this to read along with the book, I can confirm it’s 100% word for word as written in the book.

The introduction and last part of the book is only read by the author.

Another Big Topic by Isaacson

With his earliest book The Innovators, Isaacson did a great job of framing a part of our sociotechnological lives that everyone should try to understand (computers and the Internet). Now he's done it again with the emerging innovation of gene editing. Food for thought for anyone.

A wonderful thought provoking helicopter ride

A great and enjoyable view of our journey to CRISPR and what may lay beyond.

Good stuff

Great book and insight into a world i never knew about, brilliant story and explained the science perfectly

Brilliantly informative book read very slowly.

Brilliant book. Managed to keep my interest and understanding despite delving into some complicated biology and life sciences. (Not my area of expertise or special interest). The text covers A LOT of information on the development of the science and the many players involved in the amazing breakthroughs and achievements of structural biology, gene mapping and life science centred around RNA and CRISPR technology. It's an impressive field of work made even more impressive when someone (the author) takes the time to explain it to us. I went from practically zero knowledge to being able to understand the concept of some of these big ticket items in one book. It is impressive that the author was able to bully my brain into accepting and learning a huge amount of new information. Unfortunately, the style of reading is oddly slow. The author's introduction and epilogue is unforgivably slow. He takes so long to say what he wants to that by the end of the sentence you struggle to remember what he's talking about! The voice talent too seemed to have been told to read the text painstakingly slow. The book features some complicated explanations that perhaps benefit from a slower pace but I found this was taken to the extreme and resulted in an unlistenable track. Explanations are important but pace is required to keep the audience's attention. I found that I had to listen to it at a faster pace than the recording. This seemed to do the trick.