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Walter Isaacson

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Walter Isaacson is an American analyst, author, journalist, historian, and professor. Positions that he's held include serving as the President and CEO of the Aspen Institute, a nonpartisan educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, D.C., as well as the chairperson and CEO of CNN and as the managing editor of Time.
17 books on the list
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Editing Humanity book cover
Editing Humanity
The CRISPR Revolution and the New Era of Genome Editing
Kevin Davies - 2020-10-06
Goodreads Rating
"Editing Humanity" explores the groundbreaking and controversial world of gene editing, where scientists have the ability to alter and engineer DNA coding. This book delves into the ethical implications of this powerful technology, while following the scientists leading the research and the patients whose lives are affected by it. With a focus on the CRISPR gene editing toolkit, this book sheds light on the potential for this technology to revolutionize medical treatment and cure hereditary diseases, while also raising concerns about the impact on future generations.
Walter Isaacson
2021-03-09T23:21:59.000Z
@UrnovFyodor @HankGreelyLSJU And speaking of good books on CRISPR, another good one is @KevinADavies "Editing Humanity," which tackles both the science and the ethical questions.      source
Altered Inheritance book cover
Altered Inheritance
CRISPR and the Ethics of Human Genome Editing
Françoise Baylis - 2019-09-17
Goodreads Rating
Explore the thrilling world of genome editing with the book Altered Inheritance by Françoise Baylis. This leading bioethicist provides critical insights into the scientific, ethical, and political implications of CRISPR technology, which allows scientists to modify human genes. With the ability to create designer babies a reality, Baylis raises important questions about the unintended consequences of genetic editing on future generations. Sharp and thought-provoking, this book is essential reading, as it reminds us that we all have a role to play in determining the future of humanity.
Walter Isaacson
2021-03-09T23:12:44.000Z
@FrancoiseBaylis @UrnovFyodor The book "Altered Inheritance" by @FrancoiseBaylis is an important look at the ethical issues and the need for broad societal consensus before we authorize inheritable gene editing.      source
CRISPR People book cover
CRISPR People
The Science and Ethics of Editing Humans
Henry T. Greely - 2021-02-16
Goodreads Rating
This book delves into the groundbreaking topic of genome editing - specifically, the controversial birth of the two babies in China whose embryos had undergone DNA editing. Written by leading law and genetics authority, Hank Greely, the book explores the fascinating story behind this human experiment and examines its implications for science and society.
Walter Isaacson
2021-03-09T23:08:12.000Z
@UrnovFyodor For a book that also really drills down on these ethical issues, see @HankGreelyLSJU 's "CRISPR People."      source
The Code Breaker book cover
The Code Breaker
Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race
Walter Isaacson - 2021-03-09
Goodreads Rating
This book is a thrilling account of Nobel Prize winner Jennifer Doudna and her colleagues' revolutionary invention that will allow us to cure diseases and have healthier babies. They created a tool called CRISPR that can edit DNA, opening up a world of medical miracles and moral questions. This book tells the story of Doudna's journey from a girl who loved detective novels to a leading scientist and the ethical considerations and possibilities of this groundbreaking technology.
Walter Isaacson
2021-03-08T14:56:34.000Z
Book review: 'The Code Breaker' is a fascinating look at a genetics discovery      source
Begin Again book cover
Begin Again
James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own
Eddie S. Glaude Jr. - 2020-06-30
Goodreads Rating
Explore the struggle for racial justice in America through the lens of James Baldwin's life and writings. In the aftermath of the civil rights movement, Baldwin transformed into a more politically-engaged writer, at personal and professional cost. In "Begin Again," Eddie S. Glaude Jr. delves into the challenge of confronting America's lies about race, exploring the after times of today's Trumpian era intersecting with Black Lives Matter movement, and how Baldwin's journey offers guidance and hope through disillusionment and despair. This searing exploration is both a powerful interrogation of what we must ask of ourselves and an indispensable part of America's much-needed political and cultural reckoning.
Walter Isaacson
2020-06-19T14:14:22.000Z
“History, the story we tell ourselves about what the country is, shapes the world we make going forward.” ⁦@esglaude⁩ brilliant essay on Baldwin, King, Washington, Woodrow Wilson, and monuments. From his must-read new book. #JuneteenthDay reading.      source
The Internet Is Not the Answer book cover
The Internet Is Not the Answer
Andrew Keen - 2015-01-06
Goodreads Rating
Exploring the technological and economic history of the Internet, this book offers a comprehensive look at the negative effects of the Digital Revolution. Author Andrew Keen discusses the rise of big data companies and the attempts to monetize almost every human activity while offering an investigation of what we can do to avoid unpleasant aftershocks. This sharp and witty narrative is a big-picture look at what the Internet is doing to our society.
Walter Isaacson
2015-01-10T23:35:13.000Z
I found this @ajkeen book fascinating, provocative. Oh dear. I'm debating him @intelligence2      source
Tools and Weapons book cover
Tools and Weapons
The Promise and the Peril of the Digital Age
Brad Smith - 2019-09-10
Goodreads Rating
Explore the future of technology with Microsoft's President as he delves into the challenges and responsibilities that come with digitization. From privacy to cybercrime and artificial intelligence, Brad Smith offers a thought-provoking analysis of the world's most crucial emerging issues. Hear firsthand how one of the world's largest tech companies is striving to balance innovation and responsibility in an ever-changing landscape. This engaging read is a must for anyone interested in the role of technology in shaping our world.
Walter Isaacson
This is a colorful and insightful insiders’ view of how technology is both empowering and threatening us. From privacy to cyberattacks, this timely book is a useful guide for how to navigate the digital future.      source
Measure What Matters book cover
Measure What Matters
How Google, Bono, and the Gates Foundation Rock the World with OKRs
John Doerr - 2018-04-24 (first published in 2017)
Goodreads Rating
Discover a proven approach to goal-setting that has helped tech giants like Google achieve explosive growth in "Measure What Matters". Legendary venture capitalist John Doerr shares the system of Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) and demonstrates how it can benefit any organization at any level. With behind-the-scenes case studies narrated by Bono and Bill Gates, readers will learn how OKRs can increase workplace satisfaction and boost retention by focusing effort, fostering coordination, and unifying the entire company. Capture the same magic as the most successful organizations with "Measure What Matters".
Walter Isaacson
The most important venture capitalist of our era reveals a key to business innovation and success.      source
Fantasyland book cover
Fantasyland
How America Went Haywire
Kurt Andersen - 2017-09-05
Goodreads Rating
Explore the American obsession with make-believe and the post-truth society we live in today with this sweeping history of America. From Salem witch trials to Scientology, P.T. Barnum to Hollywood, conspiracy theories to our obsession with guns, Kurt Andersen brilliantly connects the dots that define our fantasy-driven society. His insights provide a fresh, bracing explanation of how our American journey has deposited us in our current reality. A timely and indispensable read for understanding politics and culture in twenty-first-century America.
Walter Isaacson
I think it helps you understand the wackiness happening in our country today.      source
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