Author Description

Gregor Mendel: The First Geneticist presents a lively, authoritative introduction to the man who discovered the laws of heredity and pioneered the study of genetics. Written by world-renowned Mendel scholar Vitezslav Orel, the book brilliantly traces Mendel's intellectual development, focusing in particular on his 1865 plant crossing experiments that revolutionized modern science. Throughout, Orel considers Mendel's contributions and personality in the unique social context in which he flourished. He also offers fascinating accounts of Mendel's fight for recognition, and the subsequent misuse of his theories by the Soviets and Nazis. Gregor Mendel offers the definitive systematic account of the great scientist's life and work. It will be enjoyed by interested general readers as well as students and researchers in biology and science history.