Review
"An Economist Book of the Year"
"A thought-provoking read."---Jerry Coyne, Washington Post
"The Genetic Lottery is one of the most thought-provoking books I've read this year."---Dan Falk, CBC Radio
"Harden diligently fights a desperate battle to enlist science to serve progressive social reform." ― Kirkus Reviews
"[An] outstanding new book. . . . It’s scientifically spot on, historically adroit, and excellently written. Required reading."---Adam Rutherford,
"A welcome resource for scholars and policy makers who want to advocate for and initiate equitable social changes with the help of reliable, expert knowledge."---J. F. Heberle, Choice
"The ultimate claim of The Genetic Lottery is an extraordinarily ambitious act of moral entrepreneurialism. Harden argues that an appreciation of the role of simple genetic luck―alongside all the other arbitrary lotteries of birth―will make us, as a society, more inclined to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy lives of dignity and comfort."---Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker
"The Genetic Lottery is a good read, peppered with relatable stories and examples. Harden pulls off the trick of simultaneously introducing a technical field to newcomers; addressing deep, specialist debates; and taking seriously the intersection of scientific and philosophical analyses of inequality."---Aaron Panofsky, Science
"[Harden] is a beautiful writer, weaving together personal narrative and complex technical concepts skillfully. Her writing is accessible to nonexperts, and the argument she makes―that it is both valuable and politically progressive for researchers of social outcomes to study DNA―is provocative. With this argument, The Genetic Lottery invites a necessary debate."---Daphne Oluwaseun Martschenko, Hastings Center Report
"While acknowledging the roles our environment and experiences play in shaping our lives, Harden makes the case that social scientists who want to address the roots of inequality must reckon with genetics. . . . The more researchers understand about the myriad factors that influence how our lives turn out, the more they can help improve outcomes for everyone. Genetics is one of those factors, Harden argues: when we ignore it, the most vulnerable suffer."---Jennifer Latson, Texas Monthly
"In creating a new synthesis that neither ignores the role of genetics nor misappropriates it, Harden acknowledges the importance the genetic lottery plays in shaping our life outcomes, while cautioning against misinterpreting the genetically laden differences among people as implying inborn, societal superiority. Harden examines the nascent field of behavioral genetics in an intellectually humble way, by detailing in lay terms the science of genetics and its applicability to differential life outcomes among people, and by incorporating this knowledge to advance social policies and social considerations that limit inequities."---Mark Rapala, International Social Science Review
"Harden has illuminated a path forward free of racial bias and 'superior – inferior' dichotomies to build on seeking applications for greater social equality."---E.B. Boatner, Lavender Magazine
"Kathryn Paige Harden has been waging a noble battle to liberate genetic science from its reactionary connotations, and especially the foul practice of eugenics. Her point, pithily made in this important book, is that knowledge of genetics is essential to any progressive politics and can be harnessed to advance the cause of equality."---Matt d’Ancona, Tortoise
About the Author
Kathryn Paige Harden is professor of clinical psychology at the University of Texas at Austin, where she is director of the Developmental Behavior Genetics Lab and codirector of the Texas Twin Project. She lives in Austin. Twitter @kph3k
