Genetics is at the core of who we are, influencing everything from our physical traits to our susceptibility to certain health conditions. Yet, for many, genetics can feel like an overwhelming and complex topic. Whether you're just starting your journey into understanding DNA, inheritance, and genetic conditions, or you’re looking to deepen your knowledge, having access to a breadth of resources can make all the difference.
This guide is designed for adults interested in learning more about genetics. Below, you'll find a curated collection of websites, films, podcasts, and books covering a wide range of topics—from the fundamentals of genetics and evolution to personal stories of individuals affected by rare genetic conditions. Many of these resources highlight diverse voices and perspectives.
Please note that the links to these materials do not benefit our non-profit organization in any way, nor do we endorse any one over another. The goal is simply to share potentially useful resources with you.
WEBSITES
PODCASTS
DOCUMENTARIES/FILMS
(These showcase films from around the world which address the rare disease patient experience.)
BOOKS
GENETICS BASICS
Genetics for dummies - 4th Edition
by Rene Fester Kratz & Lisa Spock (2023)
Genetics 101: From Chromosomes and the Double Helix to Cloning and DNA Tests, Everything You Need to Know about Genes
by Beth Skwarecki (2018)
INHERITANCE & EVOLUTION
She Has Her Mother’s Laugh: The Powers, Perversion, and Potential of Heredity
by Carl Zimmer (2018)
A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived: The Human Story Retold Through Our Genes
by Adam Rutherford (2017)
The Gene: An Intimate History
by Siddhartha Mukherjee (2016)
The Language of Life: DNA and the Revolution in Personalized Medicine
by Francis Collins (2009)
Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters
by Matt Ridley (1999)
The Selfish Gene
by Dawkins (1976)
The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA
by James Watson (1968)
GENE EDITING & THE FUTURE OF GENETICS
Editing Humanity: The CRISPR Revolution and the New Era of Genome Editing
by Kevin Davies (2020)
Hacking Darwin: Genetic Engineering and the Future of Humanity
by Jamie Metzl (2019)
RARE GENETIC DISEASES & PERSONAL STORIES
The Genome Odyssey: Medical Mysteries and the Incredible Quest to Solve Them
by Euan Ashley (2021)
Jabberwocky: Lessons of Love from a Boy who never Spoke
by Steven Gardner (2021)
Raising a Rare Girl
by Heather Lanier (2020)
Chasing My Cure: A Doctor's Race to Turn Hope into Action
by David Fajgenbaum (2019)
The Family Gene: A Mission to Turn my Deadly Inheritance into a Hopeful Future
by Joselin Linder (2017)
One in a Billion: The Story of Nic Volker and the Dawn of Genomic Medicine
by Kathleen Gallagher & Mark Johnson (2016)
The Still Point of the Turning World
by Emily Rapp (2013)
The Boy in the Moon: A Father's Journey to Understand his Extraordinary Son
by Ian Brown (2011)
Schuyler's Monster: A Father's Journey with his Wordless Daughter
by Robert Rummel-Hudson (2008)