Blood Matters. From Inherited Illness to Designer Babies, How the World and I Found Ourselves in the Future of the Gene.

Uncorrected Proof. 8vo. Pp. [vi], 321. Red printed wraps. Glossary of Key Terms. Notes on Sources. Index.

A 2008 New York Times Notable Book. In 2004 genetic testing revealed that Masha Gessen had a mutation that predisposed her towards ovarian and breast cancer. As she wrestled with a wrenching personal decision – what to do with such knowledge – Gessen explored the landscape of this brave new world, speaking with others like her, and with experts including medical researchers, historians, and religious thinkers. Blood Matters is a field guide to the radical transformation genetic information is engineering in our sense of who we are and what we might become. "[V]aluable reading to almost anyone facing a huge health decision." –New York Times