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David S. Goodsell

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The Machinery of Life 2nd ed. 2009 Edition

by David S. Goodsell (Author)

4.7 298 ratings

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Imagine that we had some way to look directly at the molecules in a living organism. An x-ray microscope would do the trick, or since we’re dreaming, perhaps an Asimov-style nanosubmarine (unfortunately, neither is currently feasible). Think of the wonders we could witness firsthand: antibodies atta- ing a virus, electrical signals racing down nerve fibers, proteins building new strands of DNA. Many of the questions puzzling the current cadre of sci- tists would be answered at a glance. But the nanoscale world of molecules is separated from our everyday world of experience by a daunting million-fold difference in size, so the world of molecules is completely invisible. I created the illustrations in this book to help bridge this gulf and allow us to see the molecular structure of cells, if not directly, then in an artistic rendition. I have included two types of illustrations with this goal in mind: watercolor paintings which magnify a small portion of a living cell by one million times, showing the arrangement of molecules inside, and comput- generated pictures, which show the atomic details of individual molecules. In this second edition of The Machinery of Life, these illustrations are presented in full color, and they incorporate many of the exciting scientific advances of the 15 years since the first edition.

Editorial Reviews

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From the reviews of the second edition:

"The Machinery of Life is a journey into the sub-microscopic world of molecular machines. Readers are introduced to the types of molecules within the cell, including proteins, nucleic acids, lipids and polysaccharides. The Machinery of Life is a pictorial overview of the molecules that orchestrate the processes of life. The book provides a fascinating introduction to biochemistry and molecular biology for the non-specialists. It is written in clear, jargon-free text that is accessible to the lay reader." (Medical News Today, May, 2009)

"This book is amazing. … this second edition is a major update. And what it conveys is the sheer unbelievable intricacy – and realness – of every cell in your body. David Goodsell accomplishes this via amazing full-color illustrations, paintings based on computer animations created from microscope images. It’s slim, readable and engaging, a nonfiction book that calls to you from the nightstand table. If you are even a little curious about how cells work, get your hands on The Machinery of Life." (Lisa Parsons, The Hippo, July, 2009)

"The Machinery of Life, which is a new edition of Goodsell’s 1993 book of the same name. The author’s full-color illustrations are astonishing, forcing the reader to dwell for minutes on every picture. They are based on data from scientific papers, electron microscopy and information about molecular structures that were obtained by X-ray crystallography. He does a good job. Goodsell’s technique is remarkable. He uses a combination of hand-drawing and computer graphics illustration." (Weanée Kimblewood, Lab Times, Issue 5, September, 2009)

"Anyone who finds biology, especially modern biology at the molecular level, quite baffling and bristling with incomprehensible jargon – this could be the book for you. David Goodsell is clearly a master of communication, conveying complex biological processes with great clarity. An excellent gift, then, for anyone interested in learning about biology in an enjoyable way. A book bursting with colour and genuinely difficult to put down." (Michael Smith, Chemistry World, December, 2009)

“In science, true understanding comes with the ability to visualize the system. For students of cell and molecular biology, this visualization often comes in the form of diagrams simplified in the name of clarity. … Using coordinates taken from the RCSB Protein Data Bank, Goodsell’s wonderfully drawn illustrations are true to the scale and shape of the real molecules. … This work will be enjoyed by all who are interested in the molecular processes … from new students to experienced scientists. Summing Up: Highly recommended.” (D. Carroll, Choice, Vol. 47 (4), December, 2009) “This well-written, beautifully illustrated volume serves as an introduction to the molecules that compose cells and viruses. The book is written at a very accessible level and is appropriate for nonspecialists and students beginning their study in biology. Experienced biologists will appreciate the lucid treatment of complex concepts, particularly the idea of molecular crowding in cells. In summary, the easy-to-read narrative and beautiful illustrations of The Machinery of Life make this volume worthwhile to recommend to both nonspecialists as well as practicing biologists.” (A. James Link, The Quarterly Review of Biology, Vol. 85 (1), March, 2010).

About the Author

Dr. David S. Goodsell is Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular Biology at The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA. His illustrations have become well known and now appear in many publications as the primary demonstration of the crowded nature of cells. He has also provided expertise and illustrations to many science museums, most recently acting as a "thinking partner” for a new multi-site nanotechnology initiative headed in part by the Exploratorium in San Francisco.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Springer; 2nd ed. 2009 edition (April 28, 2009)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 179 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0387849246
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0387849249
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.22 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.4 x 0.5 x 9.3 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #304,404 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #57 in Molecular Biology (Books)
- #67 in Cell Biology (Books)
- #93 in Biochemistry (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.7 298 ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book's introduction to cell biology engaging and informative. It provides a clear explanation of complex cellular processes and life at the molecular level. The illustrations are detailed, colorful, and realistic. Readers describe the book as a good value for money and a worthwhile read. They find the content interesting and motivating, sparking their interest in learning more about the presented processes. The book is described as simple yet technical enough to qualify as a stimulating read. Customers find it suitable for professionals, students, and non-scientists alike.

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Introduction Illustrations Value for money Interest Ease of understanding Scholastic content

68 customers mention "Introduction"64 positive4 negative

Customers appreciate the book's introduction. They find it engaging and helpful for understanding cell biology by telling a story. The book provides an excellent explanation of how life works at the molecular level, providing a good base for further research without being too technical.

"...a human cell stretches over two adjacent pages and is explaned in a very comprensible manner in the extensive notes below...." Read more

"...and was even more amazed by the text. This author clearly has a deep understanding of his subject...." Read more

"...illustrations are so powerful and engaging that they help the reader take knowledge of cell and transform it into a true overall understanding of..." Read more

"...Excellent diagrams and explanations. In addition to describing normal life functions, the author explains how antibiotics, poisons and toxins..." Read more

59 customers mention "Illustrations"59 positive0 negative

Customers find the illustrations in the book excellent and detailed. The colorful pictures add to the experience, showing real-life images as close as they can be at their scale. The diagrams and explanations are well-presented, with fabulous images of molecular components of the cell. Overall, customers describe the book as fascinating and well-written.

"...Throughout the book the drawings are kept in consistent scale which makes it very easy to compare proteins and biochemical machines...." Read more

"...You've heard of ATP as our cellular energy source? This book shows a detailed picture and the text explains how these enzymes are actually turning..." Read more

"...The illustrations are so powerful and engaging that they help the reader take knowledge of cell and transform it into a true overall understanding..." Read more

"Concise book on molecular and cell biology. Excellent diagrams and explanations...." Read more

41 customers mention "Value for money"41 positive0 negative

Customers find the book interesting and enjoyable. They appreciate the excellent illustrations. The book is a good value for money and much improved over the older version.

"...know that learning more about this fascinating hidden world can be very enjoyable and is absolutely worth the time (and money) spent." Read more

"...To give you an example of why this book is so amazing. Ever wonder how the yearly influenza virus starts? I thought I did...." Read more

"...In all, this book is really great, if you want to know about molecular biology or just know more about it this book is for you." Read more

"...And the images! They are worth it alone." Read more

16 customers mention "Interest"16 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and easy to follow. It provides a fascinating look at life on a small scale and sparks their interest to read up on some of the presented processes. They describe it as a lively, motivating introduction that serves as a cogent gem. Readers mention it's fun and a celebration of life.

"...to all kinds of interaction with these machines, it serves as a very lively and motivating introduction that luckily doesn't stop at the..." Read more

"...The illustrations are so powerful and engaging that they help the reader take knowledge of cell and transform it into a true overall understanding..." Read more

"...And, it's horribly interesting...." Read more

"...The writing is more than a book about biology, it is a celebration of life." Read more

14 customers mention "Ease of understanding"14 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's clear and concise explanations of cell structure and function. They find the concepts easy to understand and appreciate the accurate illustrations. The book provides a good introduction for beginners and is a quick read that covers important topics.

"Reading this book has been a great experience. The frequent detailed and annotated drawings that span the whole page and often even two pages are..." Read more

"...daunting and at times intimidating subject of molecular biology with simplicity and eloquence...." Read more

"...machines in our body as well in other organisms is precise and straight to the point...." Read more

"...The illustrations are beautiful. It renders the amazing complexity of a single cell comprehensible. I recommend this book!" Read more

5 customers mention "Scholastic content"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's content suitable for class use, students, and non-scientists. They say it's a good book to give parents or grandparents who want to know what you do at work.

"...This made it perfect for the class and it seemed like everyone enjoyed it. When I sat down to read it, it went by pretty fast...." Read more

"...One for me and one to give to friends. This is a great book to give to your parents or grandparents who want to know what you do at work if your..." Read more

"...It's suitable for high-school students and graduate biologists." Read more

"...Excellent for first year university and college students." Read more

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rekado
Beautiful Introduction to Cellular Biology
Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2010
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Reading this book has been a great experience. The frequent detailed and annotated drawings that span the whole page and often even two pages are very intricate and mesmerizing. The replication cycle of a virus in a human cell stretches over two adjacent pages and is explaned in a very comprensible manner in the extensive notes below. A journey through a part of the enormous human cell following the assemby of antibodies spans several pages of large colorful drawings with interesting annotation that are sometimes a little overwhelming. The illustrations of E. coli (as the one shown on the cover) is simply beautiful and intriguing.

Throughout the book the drawings are kept in consistent scale which makes it very easy to compare proteins and biochemical machines.
The text starts with a clear introduction to the main components of any cellular machine. The introduction serves well to prepare even readers just starting out in cellular biology to appreciate the explanations that follow on.

The book never felt like a lecture even though often more than just purely descriptive information was provided. With the book covering many different types of cellular machines both in microbes and human cells, and exposing mechanisms related to all kinds of interaction with these machines, it serves as a very lively and motivating introduction that luckily doesn't stop at the surface.

Sometimes I would have preferred to be given a little more information on how exactly this or that protein performs certain tasks. However, considering the complexity of many of the processes shown, this is not actually a bad thing.
This book has sparked my interest to read up on some of the presented processes, e.g. protein folding, structure and function. Having read this book -- and often simply looked at the illustrations therein for minutes -- I know that learning more about this fascinating hidden world can be very enjoyable and is absolutely worth the time (and money) spent.

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12 people found this helpful

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Steve
Amazing book
Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2022
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I rarely review but this book deserves it. It bought it for the pictures(after reading an article in the New Yorker) and was even more amazed by the text. This author clearly has a deep understanding of his subject. I majored in Biology in college and became a physician but part of me always wished I had become a molecular biologist. This book was the first time diving deep into the subject again.

To give you an example of why this book is so amazing. Ever wonder how the yearly influenza virus starts? I thought I did. In one paragraph he was able to summarize how this happens in a very satisfying way. Also, you will understand why some vaccines are good after one shot and others need yearly shots.

You've heard of ATP as our cellular energy source? This book shows a detailed picture and the text explains how these enzymes are actually turning a molecular axle to produce the ATP molecule. I used to be able to write out the steps and did well on the tests BUT NEVER ACTUALLY KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON at a gut level.

Incredible. This is a book I'll read over and over.

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11 people found this helpful

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Bill Nielsen
Student reviews from Wake Forest Freshman Seminar
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2009
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David Goodsell's Machinery of Life, is by far the best introduction to molecular Biology that I have ever come across. This book approaches the daunting and at times intimidating subject of molecular biology with simplicity and eloquence. Life inside a cell is so small and hectic that most of the time it is near impossible to fully comprehend what is occurring, but Goodsell's use of images make cellular life much easier to understand. As reviewers have mentioned above the illustrations in this book are what makes it a truly magical read. The illustrations are so powerful and engaging that they help the reader take knowledge of cell and transform it into a true overall understanding of the happenings within a cell. Whether it be simple pictures of protein folding, or a more involved look at the way in which DNA winds itself within the cell, it is clear that after seeing the pictures ones understanding is significantly enhanced. In addition, Goodsell uses very simple writing in his descriptions, and provides many examples. Because of this he does a truly great job in not losing the reader in a topic which can become very dense and difficult to grasp. In all, this book is really great, if you want to know about molecular biology or just know more about it this book is for you.

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43 people found this helpful

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strix
Excellent book on molecular and cell biology
Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2024
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Concise book on molecular and cell biology. Excellent diagrams and explanations.
In addition to describing normal life functions, the author explains how antibiotics, poisons and toxins affect the cells.

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M.K.
indispensible for the visual learner
Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2013
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As an introductory text on microbiology, I can't imagine one that would be better than Machinery of Life, especially for those who can benefit from many images to supplement their learning. It's quite the benefit that the images here are as real to life as they can be at their scale! I always wondered the exact ratio between an atom and parts of a cell, and the illustrations here make it clear just how remarkable it is that life exists at all with such finely designed particles working in unison.
At times the text got ahead of itself and used too many undefined technical terms, but overall I can forgive the book considering how much it does right. And the images! They are worth it alone.

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Serghiou Const
Lucid text intimately linked with magnificent illustrations
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 26, 2024
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Beauty and wisdom are the book's characteristics.

Beauty certainly concerns the book's two types of illustration both in full color: watercolor paintings which magnify a small portion of a living cell by one million times, showing the arrangement of molecules inside, and computer-generated images, which show the atomic details of individual molecules, also at a few consistent scales to allow easy comparison. The color aims at highlighting the functional features of the molecules and cellular environments.

Apart from the intimate link between text and illustrations, the wisdom of the text is exhibited in several of its attributes:

The text is lucid and lean but with essential information gleaned in it.

The text follows a logical and natural sequence: it first explains that all life on Earth is composed of cells, which are themselves composed of molecules; the interior of the cell is filled with molecular machines such as nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, and polysaccharides and the way in which they operate; then it explains how they are combined in a living cell; the description of a single cell organism follows; similarly followed by the description of human cell and the advantage of compartments.

The final two chapters relate to the threat posed to life by viruses and bacteria and the defense of organisms by the immune system and antibiotics.

The book should serve as a model of exposition, clarity, and economy.

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Francesco
Best Popular Science Book on Cellular Biology
Reviewed in Italy on May 3, 2021
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Best Popular Science Book on Cellular Biology with stunning illustrations by the author

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Rogelio Rosas
Buen producto
Reviewed in Mexico on August 19, 2019
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Muy buen libro, claro y muy buena calidad.

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Stefano Walter Agatti
Interessante e bem feito
Reviewed in Brazil on November 11, 2018
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Só esperava que tivesse mais imagens/desenhos.

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James
So interesting.
Reviewed in Australia on March 1, 2025
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An incredible book and very well written. A fantastic intro into the world of our biology. The illustrations are fab and complex subject matter is described in an understandable way.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Introduction to Cellular Biology

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book

5.0 out of 5 stars Student reviews from Wake Forest Freshman Seminar

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book on molecular and cell biology

4.0 out of 5 stars indispensible for the visual learner

Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars Lucid text intimately linked with magnificent illustrations

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Popular Science Book on Cellular Biology

5.0 out of 5 stars Buen producto

4.0 out of 5 stars Interessante e bem feito

5.0 out of 5 stars So interesting.

Beautiful Introduction to Cellular Biology

Amazing book

Student reviews from Wake Forest Freshman Seminar

Excellent book on molecular and cell biology

indispensible for the visual learner

Lucid text intimately linked with magnificent illustrations

Best Popular Science Book on Cellular Biology

Buen producto

Interessante e bem feito

So interesting.