"Daniel Kevles traces the study and practice of eugenics--the science of 'improving' the human species by exploiting theories of heredity--from its inception in the late nineteenth century to its most recent manifestation within the field of genetic engineering. The first book to deal seriously and objectively with the development of human genetics as a scientific and medical discipline, it is, as well, rich in narrative, anecdote, attention to human detail, and stories of competition and conflict among scientists who have dominated the field."--from the back cover.