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Book Review of The Double Helix : A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA

The Double Helix : A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA
reviewed Fun read from many viewpoints on + 34 more book reviews


This book was recommended to me by my cell biology teacher. It took me a few years to get to reading it, but it was well worth the time. This is a quick read and gives the very interesting personal side to the discovery of the double helix in DNA.

The book itself gives a glimpse into an earlier time. It is a memoir from the mid-twentieth century. It is amazing to now consider the technology used for scientific research. The "human" side is quite interesting, as well. You get the insider look at competition between countries and universities and individuals when it comes to scientific research and discovery. You see an early woman in science and the issues that women had to contend with when they pursued lives outside the home and kitchen. (This is just glimpsed as the author is a male and only in the end piece does he provide further information on the female scientist so often spoken about poorly in the main part of the book.)

Fascinating!