In 1980 an eccentric American millionaire launched a 'Nobel Prize sperm bank', intended to create a new generation of superkids. Stocked with the seed of gifted scientists, inventors, businessmen and thinkers, including several Nobel laureates, the 'genius factory' produced more than 200 children before it quietly closed its doors in 1999. What happened to them? Were they the brilliant progeny its founder expected? In this stunning, eye-opening and hugely entertaining book, David Plotz tracks down many of the donors, children and mothers involved, and sheds new light on the fascinating battle between nature and nurture.
In 1980 an eccentric American millionaire launched a 'Nobel Prize sperm bank', intended to create a new generation of superkids. Stocked with the seed of gifted scientists, inventors, businessmen and thinkers, including several Nobel laureates, the 'genius factory' produced more than 200 children before it quietly closed its doors in 1999. What happened to them? Were they the brilliant progeny its founder expected? In this stunning, eye-opening and hugely entertaining book, David Plotz tracks down many of the donors, children and mothers involved, and sheds new light on the fascinating battle between nature and nurture.
David Plotz is Deputy Editor of Slate.com. He lives in Washington, DC, and this is his first book.
Advance praise "The Genius Factory"
" The Genius Factory is a riveting account of a truly bizarre
episode in American history- Robert Graham' s crusade to save the
human race. David Plotz has written a superb book about the quest
for genius, and, ultimately, family."
- Malcolm Gladwell, author of "The Tipping Point"
" I want to start a terrific writers sperm bank, and the first seed
I want in the inventory is David Plotz' s. Plotz has it all. He' s
an incredible, unstoppable reporter- unrelenting yet always fair
and compassionate- and a deft, witty writer. Plotz' s account of
the Nobel Prize sperm bank is an absorbing, surprising, deeply
human tale of deceit and megalomania, of hopes and dreams and
eugenics gone wild."
- Mary Roach, author of "Stiff"
" One part detective story, one part cultural snapshot, and one
part just plain weird, the tale of California' s infamous Nobel
Prize sperm bank is unexpectedly enthralling. David Plotz gives us
the science, the business, the ambitions, and most especially the
people: from founders to donors to mothers and children. A
marvelous and thoroughly engaging read."
- Atul Gawande, author of "Complications
"
" If it weren' t so disturbingly true, The Genius Factory" "would
be a gripping work of science fiction. David Plotz' s terrific
reporting uncovers one man' s quest to ' improve' the species and
its complex, touching, troubling, very human repercussions."
- Stefan Fatsis, author of "Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph,
Genius, and Obsession in the World ofCompetitive Scrabble
Players"
"From the Hardcover edition."
Advance praise "The Genius Factory"
"The Genius Factory is a riveting account of a truly bizarre
episode in American history-Robert Graham's crusade to save the
human race. David Plotz has written a superb book about the quest
for genius, and, ultimately, family."
-Malcolm Gladwell, author of "The Tipping Point"
"I want to start a terrific writers sperm bank, and the first seed
I want in the inventory is David Plotz's. Plotz has it all. He's an
incredible, unstoppable reporter-unrelenting yet always fair and
compassionate-and a deft, witty writer. Plotz's account of the
Nobel Prize sperm bank is an absorbing, surprising, deeply human
tale of deceit and megalomania, of hopes and dreams and eugenics
gone wild."
-Mary Roach, author of "Stiff"
"One part detective story, one part cultural snapshot, and one part
just plain weird, the tale of California's infamous Nobel Prize
sperm bank is unexpectedly enthralling. David Plotz gives us the
science, the business, the ambitions, and most especially the
people: from founders to donors to mothers and children. A
marvelous and thoroughly engaging read."
-Atul Gawande, author of "Complications
"
"If it weren't so disturbingly true, The Genius Factory" "would be
a gripping work of science fiction. David Plotz's terrific
reporting uncovers one man's quest to 'improve' the species and its
complex, touching, troubling, very human repercussions."
-Stefan Fatsis, author of "Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius,
and Obsession in the World of Competitive Scrabble Players"
"From the Hardcover edition."
Advance praise "The Genius Factory
"The Genius Factory is a riveting account of a truly bizarre
episode in American history-Robert Graham's crusade to save the
human race. David Plotz has written a superb book about the quest
for genius, and, ultimately, family."
-Malcolm Gladwell, author of "The Tipping Point
"I want to start a terrific writers sperm bank, and the first seed
I want in the inventory is David Plotz's. Plotz has it all. He's an
incredible, unstoppable reporter-unrelenting yet always fair and
compassionate-and a deft, witty writer. Plotz's account of the
Nobel Prize sperm bank is an absorbing, surprising, deeply human
tale of deceit and megalomania, of hopes and dreams and eugenics
gone wild."
-Mary Roach, author of "Stiff
"One part detective story, one part cultural snapshot, and one part
just plain weird, the tale of California's infamous Nobel Prize
sperm bank is unexpectedly enthralling. David Plotz gives us the
science, the business, the ambitions, and most especially the
people: from founders to donors to mothers and children. A
marvelous and thoroughly engaging read."
-Atul Gawande, author of "Complications
"If it weren't so disturbingly true, The Genius Factory" would be a
gripping work of science fiction. David Plotz's terrific reporting
uncovers one man's quest to 'improve' the species and its complex,
touching, troubling, very human repercussions."
-Stefan Fatsis, author of "Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius,
and Obsession in the World of Competitive Scrabble Players
"From the Hardcover edition.
Advance praise "The Genius Factory
"The Genius Factory is a riveting account of a truly bizarre
episode in American history-Robert Graham's crusade to save the
human race. David Plotz has written a superb book about the quest
for genius, and, ultimately, family."
-Malcolm Gladwell, author of "The Tipping Point
"I want to start a terrific writers sperm bank, and the first seed
I want in the inventory is David Plotz's. Plotz has it all. He's an
incredible, unstoppable reporter-unrelenting yet always fair and
compassionate-and a deft, witty writer. Plotz's account of the
Nobel Prize sperm bank is an absorbing, surprising, deeply human
tale of deceit and megalomania, of hopes and dreams and eugenics
gone wild."
-Mary Roach, author of "Stiff
"One part detective story, one part cultural snapshot, and one part
just plain weird, the tale of California's infamous Nobel Prize
sperm bank is unexpectedly enthralling. David Plotz gives us the
science, the business, the ambitions, and most especially the
people: from founders to donors to mothers and children. A
marvelous and thoroughly engaging read."
-Atul Gawande, author of "Complications
"If it weren't so disturbingly true, The Genius Factory" would be a
gripping work of science fiction. David Plotz's terrific reporting
uncovers one man's quest to 'improve' the species and its complex,
touching, troubling, very human repercussions."
-Stefan Fatsis, author of "Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius,
and Obsession in the World of Competitive Scrabble Players
Advance praise "The Genius Factory" " The Genius Factory is a riveting account of a truly bizarre episode in American history- Robert Graham' s crusade to save the human race. David Plotz has written a superb book about the quest for genius, and, ultimately, family." - Malcolm Gladwell, author of "The Tipping Point" " I want to start a terrific writers sperm bank, and the first seed I want in the inventory is David Plotz' s. Plotz has it all. He' s an incredible, unstoppable reporter- unrelenting yet always fair and compassionate- and a deft, witty writer. Plotz' s account of the Nobel Prize sperm bank is an absorbing, surprising, deeply human tale of deceit and megalomania, of hopes and dreams and eugenics gone wild." - Mary Roach, author of "Stiff" " One part detective story, one part cultural snapshot, and one part just plain weird, the tale of California' s infamous Nobel Prize sperm bank is unexpectedly enthralling. David Plotz gives us the science, the business, the ambitions, and most especially the people: from founders to donors to mothers and children. A marvelous and thoroughly engaging read." - Atul Gawande, author of "Complications" " If it weren' t so disturbingly true, The Genius Factory" "would be a gripping work of science fiction. David Plotz' s terrific reporting uncovers one man' s quest to ' improve' the species and its complex, touching, troubling, very human repercussions." - Stefan Fatsis, author of "Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession in the World ofCompetitive Scrabble Players" "From the Hardcover edition."
|
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
