Francesco Vitale, Biodeconstruction: Jacques Derrida and the Life Sciences is reviewed at NDPR by Hans-Jörg Rheinberger. The book appeared earlier this year with SUNY Press, translated by Mauro Senatore.

Update: another good review at Critical Inquiry (thanks to Peter Gratton for this link)

The first chapter of the book is available to download here.

Here’s the first paragraph of the review:

Francesco Vitale has written a remarkable book. It rests on an extended analysis of the largely unpublished seminar La vie la mort that Jacques Derrida gave in the winter of 1975-76. The rumor is widespread that Derrida was more or less agnostic about the scientific developments of his time. This book tells us otherwise. Apparently, Derrida had a deep interest in the development of the life sciences, beginning with the physiological underpinnings of Freud’s fin de siècle meta-psychological writings up to mid-twentieth century molecular biology, and including the evolution…