Her findings shook many well known biologists beliefs about genes, and for that I am proud.

i loved it! she is a true genious!

This book was recommended to me (a male) by a PhD candidate (female) in enology (wine studies) in response to my locating and handing her a somewhat-difficult-to locate copy of James Watson's admittedly painful-to-read but otherwise sincere memoir of the Cambridge scene surrounding the elucidation of the structure of DNA by two guys and a gal. I searched extensively for the McClintock book, out of loyalty to my friend, read it, and found it enormously informative, lyrically sustaining and theoretically stimulating, but ultimately frustrating as a coherent book because it really wasn't a conscienciously documented biography, its "scientific" diagrams of meiosis/mytosis and the corn cycle were confusing, it mixed basic explanations with unexplained terminology, and its theoretical claims concerning the whole organism weren't really thought through - the alleged necessity of including cytogenetic, holistic evidence was by its own revelations undermined by the conclusion that the self-regulation of genes was entirely genetic, rather than influenced by the cytologic or protein-containing environment. I simply don't know who this book was written for - perhaps "the widest possible audience." Conclusion: this book, full of wonderful anecdote, compelling presentation of genetic theory and its historical development, and terifically stimulating discussion of the nature of scientific and gender-limited communication, is ultimately marred by an apparent impatience to bring it to press (and profitability and reputation-enhancing publication) without due regard to biographical standards, clear integration of tri-partite intent (biography, feminist panegyric, popular science), and fundamental clarity of presentation. I learned from it, but grudgingly.

All in all, this was not a bad book. It contained valuable information on the life of Barbara McClintock. For any of you not familiar, she is a geneticist who devoted her life to studying corn plants. She discovered transposable elements (jumping genes) which won her the nobel prize. Her work is inspiring, and this book has fairly good coverage of the details, but not the best. Still one I will add to my library.

Imagine being devalued simply because you are a woman in a man's career at a time when that made you an oddity. Then imagine having a mind brilliant enough to identify and understand transposable elements at a time when your science is so far ahead of everyone else's work that they cannot understand you or take you seriously. Put those two factors together and imagine how much confidence and courage it took for her to stick with her studies of maize genetics until everyone else caught up with her. Even if you're not interested in her science, you can't read this book and not be inspired by the woman. Dr. McClintock is my hero on many levels.

Everyone knows Robert Louis Stevenson; everyone has at least one of the myriad books of his poetry. There are some stunningly illustrated collections of his poetry out now, notably two by Thomas Kincaide, among others. But how many of us have actually read all or most of his work? I'm guilty as charged.

This smaller, quieter version of Stevenson's poetry helped me finally, actually read all the Garden poetry. True, the illustrations are spare, but delightfully accurate. My children (7 and 10) were not as mesmerized by this book as they are by others with fanciful graphics, illustrations and larger type to accompany the poetry.

Still, this small book found its way into my purse to be used for waiting moments, e.g. at the orthodontist, doctor, and also to my bedside, where it's shear diminutive size did not dissuade me from reading "for only a minute or two." And within Stevenson's words and language lie the ferment of creative pictures. I liked to have my children close their eyes while I read short poems to 'force' them to use only their mind's eye.

I thoroughly enjoyed the adventures, moods, and images Stevenson conjures and at long last can understand why his poetry remains so classic.

Most everyone knows that Robert Louis Stevenson was sickly, both as a child and as an adult, and the happy result for the reading public was his nearly feverish flights of imagination. Here, in an edition of his classic "A Child's Garden of Verses," that fever is complemented in spades by the fantastical illustrations of English artist Joanna Isles.

Isles uses an arsenal of utterly frivolous flowers, borders, insects, birds, kings and queens, fairies, and more to expand upon the imagination exhibited in Stevenson's poems. The children in these pictures are depicted as being in charge, being at one with their environment, and being delighted to be alive.

Some of the illustrations hint at the influence of artists more famed than Isles (Henri Rousseau appears to be a special favorite of hers--see the illustration for "The Unseen Playmate," in which a boy lies down in weeds that might have sprung from the edge of Rousseau's painting "The Dream"). Using both primary colors and pastels, Isles creates a world within the world of Stevenson's verse. The marriage of the two is a happy one.

When I was younger, well 5 actually, I had the chicken pox. This was one of my mom's favorite books. The words in the poetry just soothed me. It seemed like the author, Robert Louis Stevenson, knew exactly what I was going through.

You can't forget about the little toy soldiers (a poem) at your feet because when you are sick for days, you can imagine all kinds of things in your mind. The curtains billow like sails, the bedpost is your anchor. I sat there in bed and just floated away with the fun of having someone to share my illness. It seemed like a had a friend right there with me.

I loved the pictures too. The little kids are old fashioned and it made me laugh because the boys wore silly clothes, but they fit the time period, my mom said.

I love this book and keep it by my bed when I need to be relaxed.

Hayley Cohen

Children will enjoy this read aloud adventure of complications featuring one obstinate pig that refuses to enter a gate. When at last the stick, the cow, the butcher, et al. have resolved the matter, and Farmer Brown, Nelly, and Aunt Pitty Patty have settled down to a fine meal, guess who is looking in hungrily from the window. McClintock's 19th century style illustrations provide plenty of tenacious animals and sylvan scenes. A fine selection to add to your bedtime or storytime collection.

After just barely discussing Dr. McClintock's work in my genetics class, I just had to know more. This book is very insightful, and it discusses her work thoroughly. Her use of corn plants in the discovery of jumping genes (transposable elements). Truly an interesting topic and an incredible geneticist who's discovery has no doubt changed all of genetic research. This book gets a bit more in to detail than people may want for just background information. It includes some diagrams of her work, etc. A great book in all that I will add to my library.

it was o .k. but the imigary was lacking , I could not imagine the scenes in my mind.

To put it bluntly, if you want to know about the life of Barbara McClintock in an easy to read format written for a younger/children audience, then this book is for you. It goes vaguely into details, but does not really eluscidate the experimental procedures used in her work. It is rather vague, and is greatly targetted to be in the children's section of a library. Cheers.