Understanding Genes: Might be tough reading for some, and too easy for others

Understanding Genes by Kostas Kampourakis 

Understanding Genes (2021), by Kostas Kampourakis, sits in a sometimes-awkward position betwixt and between a popular science book and a textbook. As such, lay readers looking for simple, smooth, easy-to-follow explanations may want to look elsewhere or be prepared to struggle and/or skim. Those with some background in biology (beyond their high school/early college courses) will fare better.

The intent of the book is a caution against genetic essentialism or fatalism and against the over-simplification, over-aggrandization, and over-simplification of the role genes play in human development generally, but especially (and mostly) with regard to disease. Here’s where the betwixt and between is a bit awkward, because while those who read about genetics only via the newspaper or online/TV news might be subjected to such over-simplification, they are also the ones most likely to struggle, while people with more of a scientific background are probably well aware of Kampourakis’ concern and themselves have the more nuanced view he’d approve of. It’s also a little muddled early on due to several studies that Kampourakis notes that seem somewhat contradictory in just which viewpoint is promulgated through the media.

One of his entry points into the popular consciousness re: genetics is the decision by Angelina Jolie to have a double mastectomy based on a genetic test she underwent. Kampourakis uses this as a springboard for a detailed dive into just why there “are not genes for something” (italics mine). His approach is methodical, thorough, and buttressed by a number of illustrations and sidebars that help clarify some difficult concepts as he, for instance, explains how one gene has multiple effects; how any process or disease has multiple genes involved; how genes are part of an ecosystem of interrelated parts such as proteins, RNA, expression, the environment; how epigenetics has complicated our view of genes’ constancy, etc. Kampourakis shows the ability to write clearly, especially so in his summaries toward the end of sections. And he can also hit on a greatly clarifying metaphor, as when he explains “difference makers” versus “causes” via a metaphor involving forest fires (dry timber, oxygen, a lit match are all causes; the match is the difference maker, as the timber and oxygen are always there). A running analogy involving The Phantom of the Opera is also successful. Finally, when he steps back and takes a more general approach, as he does toward a sort of encapsulating close when he explains the pitfalls of greater genetic testing or the over-promising of gene therapy/gene editing, things become quite easy to follow.

That said, it can often get a bit thick for lay readers. Here, for instance, is one section:

The ß -thalassemia occurs when there is decreased or no production of ß -globin chains and thus of HbA. This is due to mutations within, or related to the expression of, the HBB (hemoglobin subunit beta) gene on Chromosome 11 that encodes the ß -globin chains … On the other hand, heterozygotes (i.e. those carrying on ß -thalassemia allele) and other compound heterozygotes can have a variety of conditions …

Unfortunately, and this is obviously no fault of Kampourakis, the ease of reading was made more difficult by how Kindle continues to struggle with poetry and textbooks, and so formatting issues on the Kindle version, whereby sidebars and illustration explanations were not always clearly distinguished from main text, such that you might be reading along, turn the page, and begin reading something not connected to the prior sentence.

I confess there were times I’m not sure I fully got everything, but mostly I just had to work harder and concentrate more than is often the case with popular science books. I don’t therefore want to imply lay readers should skip Understanding Genes, but they should be prepared to put in some effort and probably shouldn’t read it while streaming TV. Recommended with caveats.