YOU can’t fault Richard Kowles on his ambition. His book covers a huge amount of ground, from the basics of heredity and sex determination to plant breeding and sideshow freaks. He visits the big questions – nature versus nurture, free will – and makes forays into controversial territory including race, intelligence and creationism. What’s more, Kowles, a distinguished geneticist, is a knowledgeable guide. The trouble is, he has no sense of direction.
The chapters are all over the place. Kowles happily jumps from “Women in the Olympics” to “Marrying your cousin”, feeling no compunction to make a connection. More disorientating still, he…
