The "Manga Guide To" series of books published by No Starch Press are wonderful. We have read many of them and have always enjoyed them immensely. Topics such as Electricity, Physics, and Statistics were presented in a manner which is fun and digestible by anyone. The Manga Guide to Molecular Biology is another great addition to the series. It is one of the best introductions to the subject we have seen to date. This book is suitable for a lot of different readers: high school student, investors, DIY biologists, etc...
Molecular Biology came into the everyday vernacular in 2000 with the pending completion of the Human Genome project. There was a lot of press and wild expectations associated with this awesome scientific achievement. Companies involved in genomic research saw a huge influx in investments. We know. We were at a company which grew from $300M to over $9B in four years! Money flowed like water. Of course, like every bubble, it eventually burst. Expectations and valuations were "reset" to more realistic levels.
Today, the impact of molecular biology is all around us, but what that impact is is not clear to many. Is genetically-engineered food good or bad? What is gene therapy, what is personalized medicine? In order to debate or even understand these topics, one needs a basic understanding of the fundamentals of molecular biology. This is where the Manga Guide comes in.
Molecular Biology is conveyed via the adventures of Rin and Ami, students who have to attend summer school because they skipped their science class all semester.
The storytelling approach is a delightful way to ease into the subject. Readers will start off engaged in the story and end up learning molecular biology along the way. Awesome fun! [Permalink] - Manga Guide To Molecular Biology
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