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The Genius Factory
The Curious History Of The Nobel Prize Sperm Bank
by David Plotz


8.5

based on 14 reviews
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based on 2 votes
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Slate editor David Plotz investigates the results of a two-decade experiment in genetics in which an eccentric millionaire attempted to save the world by stocking a sperm bank with the, er, output of Nobel laureates, successful businessmen, star athletes, and assorted geniuses.

Random House, 288 pages
06/07/2005
$24.95

ISBN: 1400061245

Nonfiction
Science & Nature

All reviews are classified as one of five grades: Outstanding (4 points), Favorable (3), Mixed (2), Unfavorable (1) and Terrible (0). To calculate the Metascore, we divide total points achieved by the total points possible (i.e., 4 x the number of reviews), with the resulting percentage (multiplied by 100) being the Metascore. Learn more...

Salon Andrew Leonard

Plotz negotiates every twist of their stories with grace and sensitivity, and places those stories on a firm bedrock of science and history.

San Francisco Chronicle Jonathan Kiefer

Plotz's history... isn't merely curious, it's useful.

The Onion A.V. Club Donna Bowman

The rich memes about identity and family disseminated by The Genius Factory will enrich American culture far more than the DNA of Graham's prize male specimens ever will.

Wall Street Journal Nick Schulz

By giving readers the case study of a serious -- and failed -- effort to engineer a better human race, Mr. Plotz brings the discussion back down to earth, where it belongs.

Washington Post Robin Marantz Henig

Occasionally too hip for its own good.

Entertainment Weekly Bob Cannon

While he never solves the nature-versus-nurture quandary in The Genius Factory, Plotz leads an amusing trip through one of the oddest alliances of science and commerce ever attempted.

Kirkus Reviews

Fresh, funny, with deft profiles of singular individuals.

Publishers Weekly

[Plotz's] sensitive narration always reminds us of the real lives affected--and created--through this oddball utopian scheme.

The New York Times Janet Maslin

Most of ''The Genius Factory'' is so perfectly pitched -- blithe, smart, skeptical, yet entranced by its subject -- that the awkward sections stand out.

The New York Times Book Review Polly Morrice

Plotz's take on the role of genes now -- in our imaginations and in fact, so far as we can determine that -- is humane and funny, which are fine traits for any argument, or any book.

Chicago Tribune Jonathan Marks

An engaging, highly enjoyable book that is personal and cultural, exploring the individual quest for roots and the popular ideas about identities, potentials and aspirations that frame such a quest. [12 June, 2005]

Boston Globe Daniel Akst

[A] delightful book.

Daily Telegraph Anthony Daniels

[Plotz] writes in a kind of jaunty journalese, of which inaccurate facetiousness is the worst quality.

The Independent Will Self

[Plotz's] writing is a combination of cut-and-paste text with a rather nauseatingly folksy approach to the reader.

The average user rating for this book is 8.5 (out of 10) based on 2 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Michael H gave it a9:
Reads like fiction.

Misha gave it an8:
Plotz does his homework and we benefit. He takes us where we simply could not go on our own and amazes in his ability to pull off a very difficult task. Is the population he draws from skewed? Yes, of course. Does his writing sometimes tend toward the cute? Guilty again. There is so much here, however, that even with these shortcomings the work is impressive.

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The Genius Factory The Curious History Of The Nobel Prize Sperm Bank by David Plotz

The Genius Factory
The Curious History Of The Nobel Prize Sperm Bank
by David Plotz