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Me, Myself, and Why: Searching for the Science of Self
by Jennifer Ouellette
Penguin, 2014
How can we learn who we really are? For science journalist, Scientific American blogger and veteran author Ouellette, the journey of self-discovery involved genome sequencing, brain imaging, psychological analysis and even a hallucinogenic trip. In Me, Myself, and Why, Ouellette takes her readers from Gregor Mendel's pea plants to the personal genome-sequencing services of the 21st century. Adopted as an infant, she provides a unique view on the importance of nurture versus nature, and her sharp sense of humor makes for an enjoyable read. Ouellette admits that she failed to find a succinct answer to her multitude of questions about the self, but, she writes, “That's not the point. Ultimately, the story is not about the destination. It's about everything learned along the way.”