From New York Times bestselling author Sam Kean comes more incredible stories of science, history, language, and music, as told by our own DNA.

In The Disappearing Spoon , bestselling author Sam Kean unlocked the mysteries of the periodic table. In THE VIOLINIST'S THUMB, he explores the wonders of the magical building block of life: DNA.

There are genes to explain crazy cat ladies, why other people have no fingerprints, and why some people survive nuclear bombs. Genes illuminate everything from JFK's bronze skin (it wasn't a tan) to Einstein's genius. They prove that Neanderthals and humans bred thousands of years more recently than any of us would feel comfortable thinking. They can even allow some people, because of the exceptional flexibility of their thumbs and fingers, to become truly singular violinists.

Kean's vibrant storytelling once again makes science entertaining, explaining human history and whimsy while showing how DNA will influence our species' future.

山姆·基恩（Sam Kean）

《纽约时报》畅销书《消失的汤勺》（The Disappearing Spoon）的作者。2005 年取得美国科学促进会院士荣衔，也是DCWA科学写作协会会员。2009年，他获得美国“国家科学作家协会埃弗特·克拉克/赛斯·佩恩奖”三十岁以下最佳作家的第二名。他还是“明德环境新闻协会”的会员。他的作品见于《纽约时报》、《新科学家》等知名杂志以及美国全国公共电台的节目。