What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Code Breaker
Walter Isaacson · Book · 2021
If you loved The Code Breaker, start with Unnatural Selection (Leeor Kaufman, 2019) — a series on the same thread. Below: 3 films, 3 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Code Breaker across media.
If you loved The Code Breaker, you likely crave stories that examine how singular human intellects catalyze massive, world-altering scientific shifts.
Films on the same thread
The Imitation Game
Film · 2014
Explores: Code-breaking, Genius, Persecution.
Just as The Code Breaker highlights the collaborative brilliance behind CRISPR, this film captures the high-stakes pressure and intellectual rivalry involved in pioneering life-changing technological breakthroughs.
Oppenheimer
Film · 2023
Explores: Moral ambiguity, Scientific ethics, Cold War paranoia.
Fans of The Code Breaker will appreciate this exploration of the moral ambiguity surrounding scientific discovery, mirroring the ethical dilemmas Jennifer Doudna faced while developing revolutionary genetic technologies.
Steve Jobs
Danny Boyle · Film · 2015
Explores: Genius and Flaws, Father-Daughter Relationships, Visionary Leadership.
This film echoes the focus on visionary leadership found in The Code Breaker, stripping away the polish to reveal the intense personal costs of driving a major technological revolution.
Series on the same thread
Unnatural Selection
Leeor Kaufman · Series · 2019
Shares a thread with The Code Breaker: Gene Editing.
If the bioethical questions in The Code Breaker fascinated you, this documentary provides a direct look at the real-world implications of gene editing and the future of human biology.
Code of a Killer
Series · 2015
Explores: Forensic Science, DNA Evidence, Criminal Investigation.
Much like the scientific journey in The Code Breaker, this story highlights how an individual discovery—in this case, DNA fingerprinting—radically transforms society and the pursuit of justice.
Inside Bill's Brain: Decoding Bill Gates
Davis Guggenheim · Series · 2019
Shares a thread with The Code Breaker: Innovation.
Readers of The Code Breaker who enjoy dissecting the minds of innovators will find this intimate portrait of Bill Gates’s problem-solving methods and audacious global goals highly compelling.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe
The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe · Podcast · 2026
Explores: untold historical anecdotes, curiosity-driven learning, American cultural history.
The curiosity-driven exploration of history in this podcast complements the biographical depth of The Code Breaker, offering more fascinating stories about the people who quietly shape our world.
How I Built This with Guy Raz
Guy Raz | Wondery · Podcast · 2026
Explores: failure and resilience, innovation processes, corporate origin stories.
This podcast shares the spirit of The Code Breaker by delving into the grit, failure, and resilience required by the innovators who build the brands and technologies we use.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Code Breaker about Jennifer Doudna?
Yes, The Code Breaker is a detailed account of the life and work of pioneering scientist Jennifer Doudna. The book explores her central role alongside colleagues and rivals in launching the scientific revolution that allows for curing diseases and fending off viruses.
What scientific topics are covered in The Code Breaker?
The Code Breaker focuses on the gene-editing revolution. It details how Jennifer Doudna and her peers developed technologies that enable the curing of diseases, the fending off of viruses, and the potential to enhance children through genetic modification.
Who wrote The Code Breaker?
The Code Breaker was written by Walter Isaacson and published in 2021. It provides a historical and scientific narrative regarding the development of gene-editing tools and the individuals responsible for this significant breakthrough in modern science.
Does The Code Breaker discuss the ethics of gene editing?
The Code Breaker examines the implications of the revolution launched by Jennifer Doudna. By covering the ability to cure diseases and enhance children, the book addresses the profound impact these scientific capabilities have on the future of humanity and medicine.