I only got through half of this due to time constraints, but its a great book. His life is much more interesting than I thought it was going to be, but towards the middle, the story runs into a bit of a thick patch - it becomes too scientific and business-like, and the magic of the early narrative (his ability to use his experiences and weave them into a picture of self-discovery and life lessons runs out around this time... coincidentally, this is also the part that I stopped reading).

He's had an exemplary (and rather controversial) career, so this one is definitely worth a read, especially for anyone thinking about going into research. ( )

First I must say that Venter is rather full of himself which definitely comes through in this book. He thinks of himself as a champion of pure science but he also doesn't like losing. However, the story he has to tell about sequencing the human genome is fascinating, full of details about the science, the feuds between the various groups involved, and something about why the science was so important. If one can get through the first parts covering his early years and his service in Vietnam without totally losing patience, Venter's account of his life in research becomes a lot more interesting. It is quite detailed however and the reader new to genetics and laboratory research in biochemistry and genomics will find some sections hard to follow. Also the infighting and political aspects of the struggle to break new ground in these fields may surprise some readers. Note that several of the LT recommendations that come up for A Life Decoded were written by Venter's competitors in the "race" to sequence the human genome. It might be interesting to compare them.

The book is VERY technical. A lot of good information on the human genome. (a complete record of a persons hereditary information and biological instructions for his offspring). However, unless you are really into heavy biology, you may have trouble finishing this read. ( )

Gave up. Boring and not what I expected. He does have a knack for subtly tooting his own horn at every opportunity, though. ( )

I wanted to love this book. It seems like it could be a real find of intellectual porn.

This guy just comes off an an egotistical asshole. I don't know him, so I have no idea if it is an accurate portrayal. But after reading this, I wouldn't even want to talk to him at a cocktail party. ( )