Blood Matters: A Journey Along The Genetic Frontier - Softcover

In 2004 genetic testing revealed that Masha Gessen had a mutation that predisposed her to ovarian and breast cancer. As she wrestled with a wrenching personal decision - what to do with such knowledge - Gessen explored the landscape of this brave new world, speaking with others like her, and with experts including medical researchers, historians, and religious thinkers. "Blood Matters" is a much-needed field guide to this unfamiliar and unsettling territory, pointing the way towards the radical transformation genetic information is engineering in our sense of who we are and what we might become.

'Blood Matters is about far more than Gessen's own story. She writes energetically - about the grander context in which her personal drama takes place - The book's enduring memory is Gessen's intelligence and wit as she's staring down the barrel of a gun'- The Scotsman'Gessen argues that in a generation we will discuss our genetic inheritance in the same way that we discuss social class and other environmental influences on character nowadays. It's a superb read.' - The Times'A brave, passionate and well-written book' - Sunday Times'Gessen argues that in future, genetic information will transform our lives - she renders complicated concepts accessible and easy to digest' - Guardian