Beyond Inheritance - by Roxanne Khamsi (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

"Constantly fascinating and impeccably reported...You won't look at yourself in the same way again." --Ed Yong, bestselling author of An Immense World and I Contain Multitudes

A captivating exploration of the remarkable ways our DNA mutates over the course of our lives, with radical implications for the future of medicine

Our DNA is the indispensable set of instructions that guides our growth and vitality. The common misconception is that this molecular blueprint stays the same throughout our lives. In reality, the genetic makeup of our cells is continuously mutating, from the moment we are conceived until our last breath. The hidden changes that amass in our genomes can have a huge influence on our health.

In this groundbreaking book, science writer Roxanne Khamsi describes our bodies as active landscapes of mutation. She reveals how the forces of Darwinian evolution operate within our own tissues. The effects can be devastating, such as when mutant blood cells outcompete their normal counterparts and increase the risk of heart attacks. But mutations can also make our bodies more resilient: Liver cells with genetic changes seem to cope better with excess calories. And immune cells with remixed DNA can make more effective antibodies against the microbes that threaten us.

By letting go of the antiquated idea that every cell in a body has the same exact DNA, we can usher in a whole new era of medicine, including better vaccines and treatments that outsmart cancer. Beyond Inheritance will open your eyes to the immense genetic diversity that exists within you and its incredible potential to shape your well-being.

Review Quotes

Praise for Beyond Inheritance

"Fascinating. . . . 'There is grandeur in this view of life, ' Darwin said of evolution. Grandeur also exists in this new view of DNA." --Kirkus Reviews

"Lucid language and enlightening case studies. . . . Readers will benefit from this comprehensive look at the dynamic nature of DNA." --Publishers Weekly

"Roxanne Khamsi provides ample evidence that the DNA we're born with mutates. Because of this, the brain you're using to finish reading this sentence must be a little bit different from the one you started with a few seconds ago. Mutations are only now coming to be understood. Read on." --Bill Nye, science educator

"In this constantly fascinating and impeccably reported book, Roxanne Khamsi unveils the incredible and unexpected diversity that exists and grows within our very bodies. You won't look at yourself in the same way again." --Ed Yong, bestselling author of An Immense World and I Contain Multitudes

"I'm a mutant. You're a mutant. We're all mutants billions of times over, as the excellent science writer Roxanne Khamsi explains in this fascinating, lucid exploration of a biological phenomenon that could be the key to unlocking new treatments for cancer and other dread diseases." --Dan Fagin, author of Toms River, winner of the Pulitzer Prize

"Roxanne Khamsi's astonishing new book reveals that we are not settled stories; our very cells are always altering, endlessly mutating to defend and adapt. Lyrical, revelatory, and precise, Beyond Inheritance will change how you think about your own face in the mirror and your place in the world." --Maryn McKenna, author of Big Chicken, Superbug, and Beating Back the Devil

"We are all mosaics! With captivating stories, Khamsi's brilliant, eye-opening book systematically assesses the vital, under-recognized health impact of the mutations we acquire throughout our lives." --Eric Topol, author of Super Agers, Professor and EVP, Scripps Research

"Urgent, brilliant, and wickedly clever, this book reframes medicine for what it really is: a survival story unfolding one typo at a time." --Dr. Céline Gounder, physician, epidemiologist, and medical journalist at CBS News and KFF Health News

About the Author

Roxanne Khamsi is an award-winning science journalist and a contributing writer at The Atlantic. She has reported extensively on the intersection of genetics and medicine for a wide range of publications, including Nature, Wired and The New York Times. Her work has been recognized for excellence by the American Medical Writers Association and Association of Health Care Journalists. She lives in Montreal.