People ask me all the time for textbook recommendations and my favorite biochemistry textbook of all time is Lehninger’s Principles of Biochemistry. I’m probably biased because I learned biochemistry from it as an undergrad, but I really do think it’s great. So great that I reread it for pleasure! And I have to say, it’s much more pleasurable to read it without pressure! No grades on the line, just the pleasure of learning. And learn I am – there’s always more to get out of a textbook. Especially when you approach it with years-worth of further knowledge. You’re able to draw connections you couldn’t see before and understand concepts that initially confused you. 

YouTube: https://youtu.be/nvJsp-Wt3g4

Textbooks also remind you of the broader picture  – it’s so easy to get super duper narrowly focused as you train as a scientist that you forget where that narrowedly-focused stuff fits in. And what’s going on all around it that might actually directly influence the stuff you’re focused on. 

There’s also probably a ton of content that wasn’t covered in your course (teachers have to pick and choose due to time constraints) so there’s stuff that will be totally new to you (as well as all that stuff that seems new to you because you forgot it…). Thankfully, unlike research papers, or even review articles, textbooks don’t expect you to be an expert already, so they explain things to you (and refer you to chapters and sections with necessary background). 

There are a lot of great books and what’s important is just finding what you like. I personally love Lehninger’s because it has great explanations, beautiful figures, lots of structures and detailed mechanisms, and a focus on the type of experiments done to work out what’s going on. There are also lots of boxes highlighting real-world, often medical, connections. 

The bad news is that it – like most textbooks – is super expensive. But you can likely get it through your library and/or find an older addition cheaply. Just make sure you check to make sure that the models haven’t changed or anything. 

Whether it’s your first time reading a book or your fortieth, I hope you enjoy! Happy reading!

more posts on topics pertaining to scientists-in-training: https://bit.ly/gradpostdocetc