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| Venter, J. Craig | A Life Decoded: My Genome, My Life | Autobiography of the scientist responsible for leading a team to sequencing the human genome in 2001. |
| Diamond, Jared | Collapse | The choices societies make about their environment determine their success or failure. Using this idea, Diamond explores various extant and extinct cultures. |
| Carroll, Sean | Endless Forms Most Beautiful | All about the role of DNA in developmental biology and its impact on evolutionary trends in organisms. |
| Ridley, Matt | Genome | This book takes you on a tour of each of the 23 chromosomes that makes us human, using research gathered from the Human Genome Project. |
| Crichton, Michael | Jurassic Park | Scientists clone dinosaurs to create an island theme park, and chaos ensues. |
| Burnham, Terry and Jay Phelan | Mean Genes | This book discusses the biological basis for behaviors such as addiction, infidelity, vanity and affiliation with others. |
| Cook, Robin | Mutation | Dr. Victor Frank genetically engineers embryos to be of above average intelligence, but his experiment goes awry when it is discovered that the resulting children die mysteriously, and are emotionless. |
| Weiner, Jonathan | My Brother's Keeper | The story of two brothers--one of whom develops ALS, and the other who dives headfirst into scientific research to try and save him. |
| Picoult, Jodi | My Sister's Keeper | A family struggles with the decision to have a baby through IVF in order to save their dying daughter in the hopes the new baby's bone marrow will match their older daughter's.. |
| Lane, Nick | Oxygen: The Molecule That Made the World | Excellent book about oxygen and its responsibility for both converting early Earth from an anaerobic atmosphere to an aerobic one, as well as its role in human disease processes. |
| Carson, Rachel | Silent Spring | Landmark book about the effects of pesticides (notably DDT) on the environment and organisms living in it. |
| Roach, Mary | Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers | A history of cadavers and their uses. |
| Moalem, Sharon and Jonathan Prince | Survival of the Sickest | Excellent book about inherited diseases and how these chronic health conditions may have been survival adaptations for our ancestors. |
| Preston, Richard | The Hot Zone | True story about the Ebola virus outbreaks in Africa and the US. |
| Skloot, Rebecca | The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks | The human story behind the most important contribution to cancer research: "immortal" cells obtained from a cancer patient in the 1950's. Excellent examination of the bioethical issues associated with research. |
| Wells, Spencer | The Journey of Man | A book documenting Wells' travels over 6 continents as he collects genetic evidence of the human migration out of Africa. |
| Miller, Geoffrey | The Mating Mind | This book discusses the runaway evolution of the human brain, and how sexual selection may have contributed to this process. |
| Ridley, Matt | The Red Queen | |
| Dawkins, Richard | The Selfish Gene | How DNA shapes evolutionary trends. |
