Double HelixThe classic personal account of one of the great scientific discoveries of the century.By identifying the structure of DNA, the molecule of life, Francis Crick and James Watson revolutionized biochemistry and won themselves a Nobel Prize. At the time, Watson was only twenty-four, a brilliant young zoologist hungry to make his mark. His uncompromisingly honest account of the heady days of their thrilling sprint against other world-class researchers to solve one of science's greatest unsolved mysteries gives a dazzlingly clear picture of a world of brilliant scientists with great gifts, very human ambitions, and bitter rivalries. With humility unspoiled by false modesty, Watson relates his and Crick's desperate efforts to beat Linus Pauling to the Holy Grail of the life sciences, the identification of the basic building block of life. He is impressed by the achievements of the young man he was, but clear-eyed about his limitations. Never has such a brilliant scientist also been so gifted, and so truthful, in capturing in words the flavor of his work. |
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LibraryThing Review
User Review - tgraettinger - LibraryThingWonderful account of the discovery of DNA. Had almost the feel of a detective novel. It's a very easy, quick read. If you can find it, there is a video, "The Race for the Double Helix" aka "Life Story ... Read full review
LibraryThing Review
User Review - pramodghuge - LibraryThingA very personal account by the author James Watson on how he and his colleague Francis Crick with the help of others beat Linus Pauling to win the coveted Nobel prize for identifying the structure of ... Read full review
Contents
Letter to Max Delbruck 227233 | 44 |
Short section of DNA 1951 | 53 |
Covalent bonds of the sugarphosphate backbone | 79 |
Mg++ ions binding phosphate groups | 87 |
Schematic view of DNA likewithlike base pairs | 185 |
Tautomeric forms of guanine and thymine | 191 |
Schematic illustration of the double helix | 202 |
DNA replication | 211 |
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Common terms and phrases
a-helix adenine answer argument arrival atoms bacterial base pairs biochemistry biology Cal Tech Cambridge Cavendish chains Chargaff chemical chemistry chemists College conversation Copenhagen crystallographic crystals cytosine Delbriick dinner DNA molecule DNA structure double helix Elizabeth existed experimental experiments fact fellowship Francis Crick genes genetic geneticists girls Griffith guanine Herman hope Hugh Huxley hydrogen bonds idea immediately important ions John Kendrew keto King's knew large number letter Linus Pauling London look lunch Luria manuscript Maurice Wilkins Maurice's Max and John Max Perutz ment model building Moreover morning never Nonetheless nucleic acids nucleotides Odile Pauling's Perutz Peter phage phosphate groups polynucleotide Pop's possibility problem protein purine purine and pyrimidine pyrimidine quickly realized reason Rosalind Franklin Rosy Rosy's scientific Sir Lawrence Bragg solve soon sugar-phosphate backbone talk tautomeric forms tell thought thymine tion told walked wanted Watson week X-ray diffraction X-ray photograph X-ray pictures
References to this book
Bibliographic information
| Title | Double Helix A Touchstone book Scribner Classics |
| Authors | James D. Watson, Gunther Siegmund Stent |
| Edition | reprint |
| Publisher | Simon and Schuster, 1998 |
| ISBN | 0684852799, 9780684852799 |
| Length | 226 pages |
| Subjects | › › Fiction / Classics Science / History Science / Life Sciences / Genetics & Genomics Science / Life Sciences / Human Anatomy & Physiology Science / Life Sciences / Molecular Biology Science / Reference |
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