Frankenstein's Cat

"Smart, funny and deep: Frankenstein's Cat is a report from the frontiers of the scientific campaign to re-engineer animals to fulfill human desires. At the same time Anthes, whose love of animals shines through on every page, takes her readers on a rich and challenging quest of self-discovery: what rights do the animal objects of our creativity possess-and what obligations to them and to ourselves must we accept as we reshape (again!) the living world? A great read."-Thomas Levenson, Professor of Science Writing, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and author of Newton and the Counterfeiter

"In a fascinating romp through laboratories, barns, and pet stores, science journo Emily Anthes interviews the innovators pushing biological limits, and offers elegant explanations of neuroscience and genetics."-Ryan Jacobs, Mother Jones

"[Anthes] colorfully explores all the fascinating and in some cases gruesome ways humans are reshaping the animal kingdom . . . She thoughtfully pleas for reasoned contemplation and discussion rather than knee-jerk reactions."-Jon Entine, Forbes

"Fascinating, sharp and a bit scary."-Kat Austen, New Scientist

"A profoundly hopeful and often funny book about how the dividing line between human, animal and machine isn't as clear as you night think . . . This is a must for animal lovers, as well as anyone curious about the future of biology."-Annalee Newitz, io9.com

"Anthes eloquently explores the arguments framing the debate."-Luba Ostashevsky, Nautilus

"A lively, engaging, and intensely researched overview of where animal science has gone in recent decades and where it might go. All who value both human and animal welfare may think it worth their while to give it a read."-Rick Docksai, The Futurist

"[Anthes] has a gift for blending reputable science with humorous anecdotes in a sparkling writing style that makes reading this book a real delight . . . The book bubbles with provocative bioscience and fascinating examples of important advances that are presented in a witty and absorbing fashion. You will be introduced to a wide range of emerging technology that has compelling applications to future health care . . . It is a gem of a book . . . pick it up and enjoy a peek into this brave new world of biotechnology!"-Oncology Times

"The great merit of Frankenstein's Cat is its balance. It could have been a gee-whiz paean to the genius of genetic engineers. It could have been a soulless expose of the bizarre features of its subject. It could have been a cry of fright at the possibilities unleashed by scientists in this field. Anthes, often humorous but never insensitive, portrays their products neither as masterpieces nor as monsters. What she does say, in many different ways, is that we must understand the consequences of genetic engineering and be prepared for them practically, philosophically and ethically-not after the startling and perhaps irreversible fact, but in advance."-The Valley Advocate (Massachusetts)

"Witty and intelligent . . . If Anthes had simply opted to flit from one biotech vignette to the next, Frankenstein's Cat would be impressive enough. But she gives us much, much more, straying at every turn to reflect on historical precedents to these brave new beasts and to ponder the troublesome philosophical and ethical questions they raise."-Henry Nicnolls, BBC Wildlife

"Charming . . . the science is accessible and so, mercifully, is the ethics . . . a breezy introduction to a complex and controversial issue."-BBC Focus

"With wit, high intelligence, and a lively writing style, Anthes portrays the new world of biotechnology-in which we control the bodies and brains of other animals-and the moral and philosophical issues so raised."-Alan Lightman, bestselling author of Einstein's Dreams

"Frankenstein's Cat is smart, lucid, and full of surprises. There was hardly a page that didn't contain something new or unexpected."-Anne Fadiman, National Book Critics Circle Award-winning author of The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down

"Emily Anthes gets the balance just right . . . There are brilliant stories of the entrepreneurs who want to bring glowing fish and remote controlled cockroaches to market, contrasted with the potentially lifesaving work of 'pharmed' animals modified to produce medicine in their milk . . . Always enjoyable, a page-turner of a popular science book with a surprise around every corner."-Brian Clegg, author of Inflight Science and The Universe Inside You

"An elegant tour of the wild and fraught sideshow of animal biotechnology . . . Learned, entertaining and illuminating."-Kirkus Reviews

"The book is a quick, often surprising review of current advances, giving accessible treatment to a weighty subject and employing clear descriptions of complex science. Anthes not only explores what is being done but also asks why and if it should be done. Along the way, the book reveals much about humans and our connections to animals and the world we all inhabit."-Booklist

"Animals are fascinating if reluctant soldiers in the biotech revolution, writes journalist Anthes in this witty and thought-provoking book."-Publishers Weekly