The Code BreakerThe Code Breaker
What it's about
Jennifer Doudna was a sixth-grader when she read The Double Helix and decided to become a scientist. Walter Isaacson tells how she and her collaborator Emmanuelle Charpentier discovered how to use CRISPR, a bacterial defense system, to edit genes, work that won them the Nobel Prize, along with the race and patent fights around it, the scientist who used it to create gene-edited babies, and its use against Covid.
Why it's worth reading
It hit #1 on the New York Times list. Isaacson makes a fast-moving science story clear, and he takes on the big ethical questions it raises.
You'll love it if you liked
The Gene: An Intimate History
Steve Jobs
The Immortal Life of Henrietta LacksGood to know
Some chapters on the biology take focus. The section on Covid was written as the pandemic unfolded.
By the numbers
- Readers80 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller62 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
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Quick answers
Is The Code Breaker worth reading?
Yes. It hit #1 on the New York Times list. It ranks #571 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 77.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Code Breaker about?
Jennifer Doudna was a sixth-grader when she read The Double Helix and decided to become a scientist. Walter Isaacson tells how she and her collaborator Emmanuelle Charpentier discovered how to use CRISPR, a bacterial defense system, to edit genes, work that won them the Nobel Prize, along with the race and patent fights around it, the scientist who used it to create gene-edited babies, and its use against Covid.
How long does it take to read The Code Breaker?
About 14 hours (552 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Code Breaker?
If you liked it, try The Gene: An Intimate History by Siddhartha Mukherjee, Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson or The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.