'A clear and engaging explanation of one of the hottest fields in science' Steven Pinker
'A hugely important book' Matt Ridley, The Times
One of the world's top behavioural geneticists argues that we need a radical rethink about what makes us who we are
The blueprint for our individuality lies in the 1% of DNA that differs between people. Our intellectual capacity, our introversion or extraversion, our vulnerability to mental illness, even whether we are a morning person - all of these aspects of our personality are profoundly shaped by our inherited DNA differences.
In Blueprint, Robert Plomin, a pioneer in the field of behavioural genetics, draws on a lifetime's worth of research to make the case that DNA is the most important factor shaping who we are. Our families, schools and the environment around us are important, but they are not as influential as our genes. This is why, he argues, teachers and parents should accept children for who they are, rather than trying to mould them in certain directions. Even the environments we choose and the signal events that impact our lives, from divorce to addiction, are influenced by our genetic predispositions. Now, thanks to the DNA revolution, it is becoming possible to predict who we will become, at birth, from our DNA alone. As Plomin shows us, these developments have sweeping implications for how we think about parenting, education, and social mobility.
A game-changing book by a leader in the field, Blueprint shows how the DNA present in the single cell with which we all begin our lives can impact our behaviour as adults.
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Imprint: Penguin
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Published: 04/10/2018
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ISBN: 9780241282083
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Length: 288 Pages
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RRP: £9.99
Reviews
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It is a hugely important book - and the story is very well told. Plomin's writing combines passion with reason (and passion for reason) so fluently that it is hard to believe this is his first book for popular consumption, after more than 800 scientific publications. His story is crucial.
Matt Ridley, The Times
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An important book, a must-read guide to one enormous aspect of the human future
Bryan Appleyard, Sunday Times
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I cannot tell you how well thumbed this book is . . . every single person listening to me qualifies to read this book because it's about human beings . . . this is our story
Jo Good, BBC Radio London
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A challenging and thought-provoking new book.
Daily Mail
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Important new evidence in a never-ending argument
The Evening Standard
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You can't read the book without seeing the world afresh.
Andrew Anthony, Observer (Books of the Year)
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An extraordinary book
Stephen Sackur, BBC HARDtalk
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Plomin writes with authority about the ongoing genomic revolution that will unquestionably transform our lives and society.
Steven Mithen, The Guardian
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No-one should be making any proposals about how to improve education without being aware of the contents of, and ideally having read, Robert Plomin's new book, Blueprint. Uncomfortable, but essential reading.
Dylan William, Emeritus Professor at the Institute of Education
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Plomin takes recent genetic research and draws some provocative conclusions.
Andrew Anthony, The Guardian
