Telling Genes

Alexandra Minna Stern is Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, American Culture, History, and Women's Studies, and a core faculty member in the Science, Technology, and Society Program at the University of Michigan.

• AcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. History: Genetic Counseling Develops2. Genetic Risk: An Evolving Calculus3. Race: Tense and Troubled Relations4. Disability: The Dynamics of Difference5. Women: Transforming Genetic Counseling6. Ethics: Shades of Gray in Genetic Counseling7. Prenatal Diagnosis: The Handmaiden of Contemporary Genetic CounselingConclusionAppendixesA. Archival Materials ConsultedB. IntervieweesC. Master's Degree Genetic Counseling Programs in North AmericaNotesIndex

Any collection strong in genetic health will find this a winner. Midwest Book Review This book is an example of the best that history of science has to offer. Well written and exhaustively referenced, the work should be required reading for all students and faculty interested in modern medicine. Choice A fascinating study of the development of the concept and practice of genetic counseling in the United States since the early years of the twentieth century... Telling Genes is a very important contribution to the history of medical genetics and its clinical applications in the twentieth century. -- Garland E. Allen Journal of American History In this well written and important book, Stern addresses the history of genetic counseling, a profession that has undergone drastic changes during its short history, while still remaining under the 'shadow of eugenics'. -- Andrew J. Hogan Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences Stern has once again demonstrated her uncommon ability to present complex information in an accessible form. -- Leslie Baker Canadian Bulletin of Medical History Genetic counselors likely all learn something about the history of our profession during graduate school. For those desiring to know more about our profession's origins and swift evolution, we now have Telling Genes... Telling Genes will appeal to more than just the history fanatics in our profession and is a perfect supplementary text for genetic counseling students. -- Meredith Sanders NSGC Perspectives A worthy standard by which other historical writing and claims about the field and practice of genetic counseling can be read. -- Stephen Pemberton Bulletin of the History of Medicine Telling Genes is an informative read for anyone interested in learning about the historical origins and growth of genetic counseling, the profession's important contributions to American medical care, and the ethical dilemmas that it must confront in the future. LSF Magazine Stern's impressively researched history of genetics practices in the United States... exposes the multifarious ways in which these practices have incorporated and promoted societal values. -- Barry Hoffmaster Hastings Center Report In this very readable exploration of the origins of genetic counseling, Alexandra Minna Stern makes an important contribution both to our understanding of the history of American medicine and also to the histories of eugenics and medical genetics. Using an accessible narrative style, Stern knits together archival materials, oral histories with key figures, medical publications, and photographs. -- Rachel A. Ankeny Isis