The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNAThe classic personal account of Watson and Crick’s groundbreaking discovery of the structure of DNA, now with an introduction by Sylvia Nasar, author of A Beautiful Mind. 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 young scientist 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 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 life sciences, the identification of the basic building block of life. Never has a scientist been so truthful in capturing in words the flavor of his work. |
From inside the book
Results 1-3 of 26
Page 57
It happened less than a month after my arrival , on a Saturday morning . ... its con- tents Francis became furious , for he noticed that part of the argument depended upon a theoretical idea he had propounded some nine months earlier .
It happened less than a month after my arrival , on a Saturday morning . ... its con- tents Francis became furious , for he noticed that part of the argument depended upon a theoretical idea he had propounded some nine months earlier .
Page 108
The second fellowship was not for the customary twelve - month period but explicitly termi- nated after eight months , in the middle of May . My real punishment in not following the Board's advice and going to Stockholm was a thousand ...
The second fellowship was not for the customary twelve - month period but explicitly termi- nated after eight months , in the middle of May . My real punishment in not following the Board's advice and going to Stockholm was a thousand ...
Page 165
out the superficial resemblance between Pauling's three - chain helix and the model that Francis and I had shown her fifteen months earlier . The fact that Paul- ing's deductions about symmetry were no more in- spired than our awkward ...
out the superficial resemblance between Pauling's three - chain helix and the model that Francis and I had shown her fifteen months earlier . The fact that Paul- ing's deductions about symmetry were no more in- spired than our awkward ...
What people are saying - Write a review
User ratings
| 5 stars |
| ||
| 4 stars |
| ||
| 3 stars |
| ||
| 2 stars |
| ||
| 1 star |
|
Reviews aren't verified, but Google checks for and removes fake content when it's identified
LibraryThing Review
User Review - atozgrl - LibraryThingA surprisingly easy read. The chapters are short and the writing style is breezy. It's a very personal account of James Watson's experiences studying overseas and his efforts, along with others, to ... Read full review
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
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
acid adenine answer argument arranged arrival asked atoms backbone base base pairs became began biology bonds Bragg building Cambridge Cavendish chemical chemistry coiled coils College completely conversation Crick crystallographic cytosine Delbrück double helix English equal evidence existed experiments face fact final Francis gave genes genetic give given groups guanine hand held helical hope hydrogen idea immediately important interest John join King's knew later letter Linus London look lunch Maurice meeting mind molecules months Moreover morning moved Nature needed never obvious Pauling Pauling's Peter position possibility problem protein quickly realized reason remained Rosy saying scientific sense solve soon structure success sugar sure talk tell theory thinking thought tion told walked wanted week X-ray
References to this book
Bibliographic information
| Title | The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA |
| Author | James D. Watson |
| Edition | illustrated, reprint |
| Publisher | Touchstone, 2001 |
| ISBN | 074321630X, 9780743216302 |
| Length | 256 pages |
| Subjects | › › Science / General Science / History Science / Life Sciences / Human Anatomy & Physiology Science / Reference |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |