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Summary: One of the great memoirs of science
Review: Watson and Crick's discovery has been compared to Darwin's for biological impact and it would be fair to rate Watson's book alongside Darwin's "Voyage of the Beagle" as a work of scientific literature. The technical details are graspable by the layman, and Watson's skills as a portraitist are hard to overrate. No one else who has tried to tell this story comes close to this protagonist's inside version.
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Summary: Reveals more about the authors than they intended
Review: This book was a great success when it came out, more because of what it revealed about the persons involved than becasue it revealed any great insights about DNA. The story it told was far from the public's preconceived notions about dry, dull scientists plodding away relentlessly towords some foregone conclusion. This was a story with sex, intrigue, gossip and a great race to see who would win the big prize- since it was well known that whoever cracked the structure of DNA was a shoe-in for a Nobel.Reading it today, over 40 years after in was published, and after a brief career in scientific research, I'm struck not so much by the antics of Watson and Crick as I am by the cavelier way they denigrated their rivals, poached on thier areas of research, and stole from them when necessary. Especially noteworthy is the way women were abused in this old-boy world. You don't have to be a radical feminist to be astounded at the way the abuse heaped on females in general, and on Rosalind Franklin in particular. Franklin was the first to produce the excellent x-ray crystallography that led Watson and Crick to their insights into the structure of DNA. With little regard for her or her work, they used her data without permission in their publications, and were pleased when a researcher with a dislike for intelligent and independant women arranged for Franklin to be sent away to another institute- and essentially banned from continuing work on DNA. Franklin produced a wealth of good work in other areas, and tragically died young before her story could be told. Writing "The Double Helix" ten years after the events of the book, and though acknowledging some of Franklin's contributions, Watson still seems loathe to give her any real credit. In the epilogue he acknowledges that her contributions were under valued at the time, yet he resists stating the obvious- that without her work, his would not have been possible. She truely deserved equal credit with Watson and Crick (and Wilkins) in the discovery of the double helix. Read this book, but also read "Rosalind Franklin and DNA" by Anne Sayre for a more complete picture.
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Summary: A Geneticist Looks at the Double Helix
Review: _________________________________________________________________ When "The Double Helix" came out in 1968, as a geneticist I naturally read it. And it has stuck far more firmly for me than any of the many other books I've read over the years about genetics. Why do I remember this book so well? I've wondered. The answer is right in the first sentence of "The Double Helix" that reads: "I have never seen Francis Crick in a modest mood." In his account of how the structure of DNA was discovered, Jim Watson doesn't try to tell the story from a disinterested point of view. This is my version, he says, and I'm not going to touch it up to cover the warts and other blemishes. Yes, for instance, Watson and Crick were patently and terribly unfair and unjust toward Rosalind Franklin but Jim doesn't deny it. He makes it plenty clear. Most writing in and about science is well varnished. But varnish gives a gloss and it's not easy to hold onto. Jim Watson forgot the varnish, on purpose. Watson's brashness (and Crick's conceit) season this narrative in a memorable way, a way I can't easily forget, even if I wanted to. This is first-rate personal science writing. Five stars, for sure, or more. It's about one of the most important discoveries in the history of science. I hope you'll enjoy (and remember) "The Double Helix" too.
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Summary: Double Helix....Stairway to Genetics
Review: I found the book to be the complete antithesis to the expected writings hidden behind the scientific cover. Watson and his clan's quest for the helixical structure of DNA made for an entertaining voyage within these pages. Unexpectedly, as many scientific based books that I have been privy to read lately, this book was very approachable, dare I say readable. The exploits recounted by Watson were very entertaining; they could even be considered witty and humorous although it was biosciences humor. The teamwork and competition aspects of the discovery of the double helix were unexpected but welcomed because I felt that they were the driving forces behind the people. I was impressed by Watson, Crick and Franklin all bringing something to the proverbial table even though I found it a tad bit lucky or coincidental, but that is how these things work sometimes. This, accompanied with the race against Linus Pauling (already a recognized scientist of the time) helped lend to an educational, insightful and entertaining few hours of reading about the basic structure of all of us. I felt like I took a little something with me when I was finished with this work.......and I do mean literally.
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Summary: The First Book I have Read
Review: I am a college student in Northern California and an extra credit oppertunity was presented if we read this book. In college we read many books some of which are very boring to read and this sounded like one to me. It was imperitive that I did all I could for my Biology class so I went out and purchased the story of James Watson and Francis Crick. I love to read adventure stories and this book (Double Helix) was a great adventure novel. I had no idea that a scientist has the ability to write a story of discovering DNA in adventure format. James Watson was much like myself, and I could relate to him real well when he went on to write about how he wanted to avoid different aspects of science just like myself. All he was interested in was genetics and DNA extraction and he would do all it takes to put himself in the position of discovering the Double Helix. Through some luck and alot of knowledge Watson and Crick meet up with each other and went on to eventually decoding DNA. I recommmend this book to all that are interested in reading a great adventure story about Watson and his travels through Europe and what eventually brought him to meet one of the worlds greatest scientist ever. This is a book I finished and really, really enjoyed.
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Summary: the double helix
Review: I think the Double helix is a wonderful and entertaining book to read. The great scientist James D. Watson clearly describes about the discovery of the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) structure, which can be consider to be the greatest discoveries in the millennium. The author is very detailed in explaining how, when and where the discovery took place. He emphasizes on the role of recreation and day dreaming in the context of everyday life in sparking fresh insights towards possible connections. He also explains his motivations of research and his ambitions in getting a noble prize. I think Watson's style is very personable as he includes a lot of stories about his life such as personal vanities, annoying mannerisms and even his formal dinning parties. I think this book is fun to read and can be shared among children as to motivate them in expanding their ideas.
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Summary: The Double Helix
Review: Before one sits down to read this novel, you must first understand that it is the personal account of James Watson, one of two Nobel Prize laureates who won the race in the discovery of DNA. As a result of his singular perspective, certain aspects will be biased to a given degree, an example being his views on Rosalind Franklin (an individual whom many believe Watson stole research material from). In this novel Watson actively reflects his trials and tribulations in his struggle to research the biochemical deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). As he unravels his tales and discoveries leading up to his ultimate success, Watson, humorously adds his own sense of style and wit in the telling of his personal encounters as well as Crick's (his partner). He is also able to balance the pros and the cons of his tedious scientific exploration. At times thoroughly illustrating his frustration in his attempts to understand DNA. Reading this novel allows a reader to easily identify Watson's passion and drive in his analyzes of DNA in correlation to other "building blocks" of life (e.g. RNA). These characteristics provide an explanation why he is so willing to further investigate DNA even after its discovery as a unique structure, unlike other scientists within the same field of research. Although this is not a difficult novel to peruse through, "What is all the hype about?" is a question that may resurface several times within the reader's mind. Thus, one must remember the time frame in which this discovery was made. Unlike our current scientific advances in the field of genetics, Watson and Crick were pioneers (along with a handful of others) in this field and prompted a new branch of biology as well as biochemistry to evolve as a result of their findings. Without this discovery many questions regarding medical and health issues would still be left unanswered. More importantly our current understanding of genetics would not be where it is today. Let alone the discoveries made within the Human Genome Project.
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Summary: Double Helix for the Ordinary...
Review: First, I would like to say I am not a scientist or aspiring to be one. This book was recommended to me by a professor. Although I am just an ordinary person, I am glad that I read the book. I had a hard time understanding the technical side of the book, but the personal side was a definitely understandable. Watson's portrayal of what a scientist has to go through in order to become a great one had me interestedt to the very end. I felt myself riding the emotional train that he and his colleagues were on. Everytime he thought that he had "it," (the answer to DNA) had me at the edge of my seat. I did not know that such a simple concept to us now required so much work and discipline to uncover. The amount of trials and errors that he and his colleagues had to go through to achieve it. It is just an astounding accomplishment. He not only had to figure out the key to DNA but he also had to persevere superiors always looking "over his shoulder," less than enthusiastic colleagues, and lastly people, who just did not want him to succeed. For someone to overcome all of those obstacles is just amazing and they deserve to reap the rewards of all that nerve racking work. In conclusion, this book is a great read even if you are not hoping to win the Nobel prize or any other scientific prize.
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Summary: BIOLOGY CLASS PROF. STEINER
Review: In the dilapidated and torn down laboratory known as the "Cavendish" of Cambridge University, two scientists James D. Watson and Francis Crick work in unison to discover the structure of DNA. As they work jointly to piece together information about the double helix, they also have competition against the admired and better known Linus Pauling. At the same time, what is enjoyable about this book, is that everybody works in a cooperative manner, as they all have different abilities in the field and knowledge, in order to come to a final conclusion. The success of Watson and Crick came from the many different individuals with different experiences in science. Yet at the same time, the fact that it is a competition to discover the mystery of the structure of DNA titillates the reader. Although from the cover, this book seems very unapproachable, not because of its size, but because of its science nature, one would think that the jargons used in this book would be quite difficult. Rather, this book does not take much technical qualifications to understand, and as a matter of fact, it is quite easy to comprehend. What is positive about this book is the humor, and clever wit that takes place. An example would be on the bottom of page 68, "After Pauling's success, no one could claim that faith in helices implied anything but an uncomplicated brain." The Double Helix is an excellent book to read, with great illustrations of models, pictures of certain individuals, and x-rays of DNA, making the moment of discovery in this book vibrant and dynamic.
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Summary: The Double Helix a histerical book
Review: The Double Helix a hysterical science novel. By Raphael Mermey I thought that the double Helix was an outstanding piece of science literature. I liked the humor in James D. Watson's writing. He always found a way to make a serious topic funny. One example of his humor was when he stated that: At first he was only occasionally felling ill from his work but by the end of his apprenticeship he was violating the terms of conventional biochemistry. He was totally board with the normal rules. Another example of his unconventional sense of humor was when he was describing was describing the food at one of the labs he worked was working at and how sometimes he got sick from not eating at all. Another important part of this novel was the competition. Who would solve the double helix mystery first? The competition was between Linus Pauling (A well known and highly respected scientist) And the team of James D. Watson and Francis Crick. Up to this point in Watson's and Crick's careers neither of them had been well known. In fact Crick had been known for going off on tangents and then realizing what he though was a great idea had just been his imagination. But even with his defects he was a crucial part of figuring out what the double helix was. I liked the way the book did not leave out parts where every one needed every one else's skills and expertise. This is a trite in a book or in the world of science and I thought this was one of the most successful books at doing that which I have ever read. They showed that one of the most important reasons for Watson's and Crick's success was many different people with different backgrounds in science. I thought The Double Helix was an outstanding science novel, that had a great sense of humor and increased my knowledge, and was truly enjoyable to read.
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