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Rating: 
Summary: Watson's Biography for Younger Readers
Review: Baldwin's aim in writing this book was to provide younger (pre-college) readers with a biography of James D Watson. Watson, together with FHC Crick described a model structure for DNA in 1953. In 1962 Watson, Crick, and Maurice Wilkins were awarded the Nobel Prize for describing the structure of DNA. Baldwin's writing style is simple and easily readable which should suit its target audience. The book covers much of Watson's life from childhood to his Directorship of Cold Spring Harbor Labs. It is unfortunate that this is the only book that contains Watson's life story as Baldwin style does not enthuse the reader with appreciation for a scientist of tremendous historical importance. If older readers want to cover the same ground they will have to read Watson's two autobiographical books. The first of these (The Double Helix) is a very personal account of his view of events leading to the description of the structure of DNA. The second book (Genes, Girls, and Gamow) takes up Watson's life after 1953 and is again a very personal account. Both books leave the reader with a satisfying appreciation that scientists, even one of the most successful, are human; painfully human in Genes, Girls, and Gamow.
Rating:
Summary: Watson's Biography for Younger Readers
Review: Baldwin's aim in writing this book was to provide younger (pre-college) readers with a biography of James D Watson. Watson, together with FHC Crick described a model structure for DNA in 1953. In 1962 Watson, Crick, and Maurice Wilkins were awarded the Nobel Prize for describing the structure of DNA. Baldwin's writing style is simple and easily readable which should suit its target audience. The book covers much of Watson's life from childhood to his Directorship of Cold Spring Harbor Labs. It is unfortunate that this is the only book that contains Watson's life story as Baldwin style does not enthuse the reader with appreciation for a scientist of tremendous historical importance. If older readers want to cover the same ground they will have to read Watson's two autobiographical books. The first of these (The Double Helix) is a very personal account of his view of events leading to the description of the structure of DNA. The second book (Genes, Girls, and Gamow) takes up Watson's life after 1953 and is again a very personal account. Both books leave the reader with a satisfying appreciation that scientists, even one of the most successful, are human; painfully human in Genes, Girls, and Gamow.
Rating: 
Summary: Celebrating 50 Years - 1953 to 2003
Review: Name: James Dewey Watson
Born: April 6,1928
Parents: James Dewey & Margaret Jean Watson
Sister: Elizabeth (2 years younger) Watson
Childhood: Chicago
Enjoyed: Piano, Theatre, Birding, and Reading James Watson was 15 years old when he entered University Of Chicago as a freshman in a program for Gifted Students. His high school teachers helped him gain a scholarship to University of Chicago and suggested skipping junior and senior years of high school. He got A's in Biology and Social Sciences, B in Math, and C in English. One day he pulled a book off the shelf that would have a lasting impression on his life. The book is called, What Is Life? The Physical Aspects Of The Living Cell, written by Erwin Schrodinger. Watson was fascinated by the idea of finding the secret of life. He thought, to unlock the secret of life would be the best accomplishment in life. He got accepted to Indiana University to pursue his dream. He worked with Professor Luria to determine how X- rays affected the reproductive ability of bacteriophage. In the summer, the phage group met at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in Long Island, New York. Then James moved to Europe to Cambridge University in England in order to further his work. It is there that he met Francis Crick. James Watson felt he was in a race to find the secret of life. The two scientists twisted and turned the double helix model that they built, trying to learn the structure that fit the data. Their discovery led to the fact that in order for the cells to copy themselves, chromosomes must replicate. Replication begins when the double helix unzips. The article announcing the discovery of DNA appeared in the April 25, 1953, issue of Nature, a British science journal. This discovery came when James celebrated his 25th birthday. The discovery of the structure of DNA triggered a scientific revolution. It helped to create the science of molecular biology. The Watson-Crick double helix is probably the most famous of all molecular structures. What does one do for an encore after such a historic finding? James then went to work as a senior research fellow at the California Institute of Technology, returned to Cambridge University, and then joined Harvard University. It was when Watson was working at Harvard, on October 18, 1962, a reporter at a Swedish radio station called to announce that James had won a Nobel Prize. He shared the prize and $50,000 with Drs. Crick and Wilkins. James Watson decided to split his time at Harvard and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. His idiosyncrasies blocked him from gaining a top post at Harvard. James married Elizabeth Lewis in 1968. She was a Radcliffe student. Their son, Rufus, was born in 1970 and Duncan was born in 1972. Through federal grants, private donations and an $8 million gift from the A&P grocery store chain, James said farewell to Harvard. He decided to dedicate himself to his favorite place, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. In January 1977, James received a call from the White House. He was awarded the Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award by President Gerald Ford. In October 1988, James headed up the National Center for Human Genome Research, a $3 billion, 15-year effort. He resigns from that post April 1992 and returns to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Today, he concentrates his energies on the laboratory he loves. Unlike most scientists who die before their work is recognized, James continues to participate in the scientific revolution that followed the landmark discovery of the DNA double helix.
Rating:
Summary: Celebrating 50 Years - 1953 to 2003
Review: Name:James Dewey Watson
Born:April 6,1928
Parents: James Dewey & Margaret Jean Watson
Sister: Elizabeth (2 years younger) Watson
Childhood: Chicago
Enjoyed: Piano, Theatre, Birding, and Reading James Watson was 15 years old when he entered University Of Chicago as a freshman in a program for Gifted Students. His high school teachers helped him gain a scholarship to University of Chicago and suggested skipping junior and senior years of high school. He got A's in Biology and Social Sciences, B in Math, and C in English. One day he pulled a book off the shelf that would have a lasting impression on his life. The book is called, What Is Life? The Physical Aspects Of The Living Cell, written by Erwin Schrodinger. Watson was fascinated by the idea of finding the secret of life. He thought, to unlock the secret of life would be the best accomplishment in life. He got accepted to Indiana University to pursue his dream. He worked with Professor Luria to determine how X- rays affected the reproductive ability of bacteriophage. In the summer, the phage group met at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in Long Island, New York. Then James moved to Europe to Cambridge University in England in order to further his work. It is there that he met Francis Crick. James Watson felt he was in a race to find the secret of life. The two scientists twisted and turned the double helix model that they built, trying to learn the structure that fit the data. Their discovery led to the fact that in order for the cells to copy themselves, chromosomes must replicate. Replication begins when the double helix unzips. The article announcing the discovery of DNA appeared in the April 25, 1953, issue of Nature, a British science journal. This discovery came when James celebrated his 25th birthday. The discovery of the structure of DNA triggered a scientific revolution. It helped to create the science of molecular biology. The Watson-Crick double helix is probably the most famous of all molecular structures. What does one do for an encore after such a historic finding? James then went to work as a senior research fellow at the California Institute of Technology, returned to Cambridge University, and then joined Harvard University. It was when Watson was working at Harvard, on October 18, 1962, a reporter at a Swedish radio station called to announce that James had won a Nobel Prize. He shared the prize and $50,000 with Drs. Crick and Wilkins. James Watson decided to split his time at Harvard and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. His idiosyncrasies blocked him from gaining a top post at Harvard. James married Elizabeth Lewis in 1968. She was a Radcliffe student. Their son, Rufus, was born in 1970 and Duncan was born in 1972. Through federal grants, private donations and an $8 million gift from the A&P grocery store chain, James said farewell to Harvard. He decided to dedicate himself to his favorite place, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. In January 1977, James received a call from the White House. He was awarded the Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award by President Gerald Ford. In October 1988, James headed up the National Center for Human Genome Research, a $3 billion, 15-year effort. He resigns from that post April 1992 and returns to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Today, he concentrates his energies on the laboratory he loves. Unlike most scientists who die before their work is recognized, James continues to participate in the scientific revolution that followed the landmark discovery of the DNA double helix.
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