
Control
The Dark History and Troubling Present of Eugenics
- Paperback
288 pages
- Release Date
21 November 2023
Summary
Control is a book about eugenics, what geneticist Adam Rutherford calls “a defining idea of the twentieth century.” Inspired by Darwin’s ideas about evolution, eugenics arose in Victorian England as a theory for improving the British population, and quickly spread to America, where it was embraced by presidents, funded by Gilded Age monopolists, and enshrined into racist American laws that became the ideological cornerstone of the Third Reich. Despite this horrific legacy, eugenics looms larg…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781324066132 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 132406613X |
| Author: | Adam Rutherford |
| Publisher: | WW Norton & Co |
| Imprint: | WW Norton & Co |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 288 |
| Release Date: | 21 November 2023 |
| Weight: | 225g |
| Dimensions: | 211mm x 140mm x 18mm |
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Critics Review
“A remarkable combination of intelligence, knowledge, insight and admirable political passion, on a serious moral problem in contemporary society.” – Carlo Rovelli, author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics“A short, sharp, illuminating overview of the science, politics, uses and abuses of human gene editing” – Tim Adams - Book of the Week - Observer“Weighty and serious but accessible and perfectly pitched. The scholarship is astounding.” – Alice Roberts, author of Ancestors“A clear-sighted look at the past and present dangers of eugenics. Rutherford tells [the story] with great concision and with clarity, both scientific and moral. [He] condenses tricky concepts into smart and often witty prose, combining erudition with humility.… Honest, informed and humane.” – Philip Ball - Financial Times“Rutherford’s swift, well-written account of these fascinating scientific and moral issues is well worth a read.” – Emma Duncan - Book of the Week - The Times“Control is persuasive, sensible and ultimately reassuring, but it is not complacent.… To know history is ‘to inoculate ourselves against its being repeated,’ Rutherford argues. From that perspective, this book is a shot worth having.” – Katy Guest - Book of the Day - Guardian”[Rutherford’s] scientific demolition of the eugenic project is brilliantly illuminating and compelling. His book will be indispensable for anyone who wants to assess the wild claims and counter-claims surrounding new genetic technologies.” – John Gray - New Statesman”[A] stimulating critique of one of science’s most disgraceful chapters.” – Publishers Weekly
About The Author
Adam Rutherford
Adam Rutherford is the author of A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived. He lives in London, UK.
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