About the Author

Jennifer Ackerman is the author of Notes from the Shore and Chance in the House of Fate. The recipient of a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and literature fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Bunting Institute of Radcliffe College, she writes for National Geographic, the New York Times, and other publications.

Reviews

"...graceful, nearly lyrical at times...The way in which she focuses on the beauty of scientific language enriches her expertise." Bookpage "ponders the complexities of a common genetic inheritance among diverse organisms, from fruit flies to human beings" -Science News "...a beautiful story of the natural world that will inspire and educate without dampening wonder." The San Francisco Chronicle --