Twins: And What They Tell Us About Who We Are

This is a unique book, a book that worth its weight in gold. All parents should read this book. All politicians and policy-makers should read this book. All school teachers should read this book. All social scientists should read this book. Why? Because this is the book that could end all debates on nature vs. nurture.Identical twins are, in a sense, best gifts nature can give us to understand about ourselves especially if they were reared apart. This affords us to investigate whether environments and socioeconomic backgrounds, or the genetics have greater or major influence over our personalities, political and religious inclinations and so on.This book mainly details studies done by Dr. Peter Neubauer (chapters 1 and 3 -- four sets of identical twins plus one set of identical triplets) and Dr. Thomas J. Bouchard (chapter 4 -- sixty six pairs of identical twins and two sets of identical triplets). Other major studies were also cited in this book.The amazing conclusion from these studies showed that despite the different socioeconomic backgrounds and environments these twins and triplets were raised, they have, in many, many aspects, become the same person. This proves that nurture has very little to do with forming our personality, interests, inclinations, etc. and that nature is the dominate factor. Here is a quote from the last chapter of this book:"We think we are born with the potential to be many things, and to behave in an infinite variety of ways, and that we consciously navigate a path through the obstacles and opportunities that life presents us with, through a faculty we called freewill. But when we read about twins who have been separated at birth and reunited in middle age only to discover that in many respects, they have become the same person. It suggests that ... The experiences that we presume have shaped us are little more than ornaments or curiosities we have picked up along the way and that the injunctions of our parents or the traumas of our youth that we believed to have been the lodestones of our character may have had little more effect on us than a book we may have read or a show we have seen on television ... Twin studies, have made a persuasive case that much of our identity is stamped on us from conception; to that extent, our lives seem to be pre-chosen -- all we have to do is live out the script that is written in our genes."This book forces us to contemplate on the following important issues:1. The government -- What are the roles of the government? What social programs government should drop and what new ones to add?2. The education -- How to reshape and restructure?3. Parenting -- How to raise children?4. Social sciences and psychology -- What fields are invalidated by these studies and what fields are vindicated?5. Political theories -- What fields are invalidated and validated?

This is a book about twins, primarily identical twins. It is focused on the research done as to whether it is nature or nurture that controls in the case of identical twins. It runs the gamut of information and research available. Even Mengele's experiments on twins at Auschwitz figure in the discussion, as do the now discredited practices with respect to the adoption of twins carried out by Louise Wise Services, an adoption agency in New York City.The book is well-written and interesting for those with an interest in the subject matter. Some of the stories of the research subjects are fascinating and give one pause. It most definitely provides much food for thought on the issue of nature vs. nurture. The author manages to makes complex issues eminently readable. Those with an interest in twins should find this book to be a compelling read on the subject.

If you like science, sociology, psychology or genetics specifically and you have any bit of background knowledge of the subject you'll probably enjoy the book. I found it quite interesting. It's not written like your typical nonfiction book, too. So, it's easy to read and understand to all those of you who don't have much background on the subject. Worth the money if you're looking for a book that will actually make you a smarter person.

I have a set of identical twins (27 now) and since finding out I was pregnant w/ them way back then I have been fascinated about twins and have read almost every book I can find. This book, while very factual was not very interesting to read...for me it was rather boring...SORRY. It just didn't give me the "stuff" I was looking for.

It never occured to me that the study of twins would reveal concrete evidence of behavior that is outside the controlof an individual. We have all observed familial physical movements, but the extent of personality characteristics andattitudes that are revealed to be genetic are astouding as revealed in Wright's book. This book has the effect of allowingthe reader a freedom from constant self-analysis about recognizable traits. It is an enlightening, and also uplifting, book.

I found it to be very interesting. It really makes sense if you are studying nature vs. nurture. The author makes it easy to understand.

Not what I was expecting and not all that interesting to me.

Eye-opening treatise on twins and genetic influence.