Nobel laureate Renato Dulbecco presents a fascinating overview of the current state of information about life processes, ranging from the characteristics and activities of DNA to sexuality, practical aspects of genetics, communication between cells and between organisms, and the effects of drugs on the brain. He concludes with a provocative discussion of biology and human affairs in which he poses questions about brain programming and its relationship to accountability, freedom of choice, and the future.

"An impressive overview of contemporary molecular biology. . . . Dulbecco leads us...