The Lives to Come

As molecular biologists race to map and sequence the human genome, they discover more and more about human heredity and physiology-knowledge that alters our conception of ourselves and also promises extensive powers to transform medicine and even to shape the future evolution of our species. The Lives to Come is at once a concise and accessible guide to this fascinating research. A realistic survey of the likely near-term contributions of that research to the treatment of disease, and a thoughtful probing of the deep moral and social issues raised by our increasing abilities to predict the onset of hereditary disease. And to make decisions about the kinds of people who will be born. SC, 397 pages.