The Life Project

One of the Observer 's Best Science Books of the Year: A "fascinating" look at a groundbreaking birth-cohort study and what it has revealed ( Nature ).

On March 3, 1946, a survey began in Britain that is, today, the longest-running study of human development in the world. It would grow to encompass six generations of children, 150,000 people--and become the envy of scientists around the world.

The simple act of observing human life has changed the way we are born, schooled, parent, and die, irrevocably altering our understanding of inequality and health. This is the tale of these studies, the scientists who created and sustained them, and perhaps most importantly, the remarkable discoveries that have come from them.

"Hugely engaging, and gives much to chew on . . . the scientists are an irresistibly eccentric, passionate bunch." -- Evening Standard

"A highly readable, deeply informative book . . . If you ever wondered whether the circumstances of your early life steered you along a particular path, look no further than this book." -- Literary Review