Twins, by Lawrence Wright, is that rarity among science books—one
distinguished by elegant writing. The author is a staff writer for The New
Yorker magazine and it shows. This is a majestically objective survey of all the
research that has been done on twins to elucidate the familiar puzzle of
identity: a product of the genes or the environment? Wright’s objectivity may
falter a little on contemplating the activities of the infamous researcher Dr
Mengele at Auschwitz, but he is thoroughly in command of his subject from his
first mention of Galton’s investigations up to the present. The section on the
question of free will is a model, the book a triumph. Published by Weidenfeld
& Nicolson/Wiley, £12.99/$22.95, ISBN 0297819763/0471252204.
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
ÎçÒ¹¸£Àû1000¼¯ºÏ
Red-light therapy does have health benefits but not the ones you think
Features
Environment
Deforestation could trigger Amazon tipping point in the 2030s
News
Environment
Huge landslide in Alaska caused 481m-high tsunami
News
Environment
Robin Wall Kimmerer's Braiding Sweetgrass is still an essential read
Culture
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles
1
Man destined for Alzheimer's may have been saved by accidental therapy
2
Woman in cancer remission without treatment in highly unusual case
3
Red-light therapy does have health benefits but not the ones you think
4
Hantavirus: Where has the deadly cruise ship outbreak come from?
5
Extinct relative of koalas discovered in Western Australia
6
A lost ancient script reveals how writing as we know it really began
7
We have figured out a new way to send messages into the past
8
Smart underwear detects lactose intolerance by tracking your farts
9
Huge landslide in Alaska caused 481m-high tsunami
10
The 50-year quest to create a quantum spin liquid may finally be over
