Readership: An intelligent and erudite book that will appeal to anyone interested in ideas and the nature of life. It will appeal to the popular science market, and as an informal and inspiring introduction for students of biology and philosophy. It should also find interest amongst biologists for its deeper message.
Denis Noble, Professor of Cardiovascular physiology at the University of Oxford
"An excellent informal introduction to the concepts and issues that form the bedrock of systems biology... His conversational style gives readers the feeling they are with him sharing in an active process of discovery." - Eric Werner, Science
"highly evocative essay" - Steven Poole, Guardian
1: The CD of Life: the genome 2: The organ of 30,000 pipes 3: The Score: is it written down? 4: The Conductor: downward causation 5: The Rhythm Section: the heartbeat and other rhythms 6: The Orchestra: the organs and systems of the body 7: Modes and Keys: cellular harmony 8: The Composer: evolution 9: The Opera Theatre: the brain 10: Curtain Call: The artist disappears