The Double Helix: The Story Behind the Discovery of DNA

Product description Since its publication in 1968, The Double Helix has given countless readers a rare and exciting look at one highly significant piece of scientific research—Watson and Crick's race to discover the molecular structure of DNA. In this Norton Critical Edition, Watson's lively and irreverent account is placed in historical perspective by Gunther Stent's introduction and by retrospective views from two major figures in the adventure, Francis Crick and Linus Pauling, and by Rosalind Franklin's last student, Aaron Klug.Background materials include reproductions of the original scientific papers in which the double helical structure of DNA was first presented in 1953 and 1954. In Criticism, which begins with "A Review of the Reviews" by Gunther Stent, other scientists and scholars reveal their own experiences and views of Watson's story. There are reviews by Philip Morrison, F. X. S., Richard C. Lewontin, Mary Ellmann, Robert L. Sinsheimer, John Lear, Alex Comfort, Jacob Bronowski, Conrad H. Waddington, Robert K. Merton, Peter M. Medawar, and Andrà Lwoff; as well as three letters to the editor of Science by Max F. Perutz, M. H. F. Wilkins, and James D. Watson. From Library Journal First published in 1968, this classic story of the discovery of DNA has never been released as an audiobook. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. From AudioFile The double helix refers to the structure of DNA, which the author uncovered, along with Francis Crick (with whom he shared the Nobel Prize) and a host of other scientists and technicians in Cambridge, England. But this classic is not a technical treatise. It's more like a detective story as the scientists piece together clues, work their way out of blind alleys and reach their goal. It doesn't take much scientific background to understand the book, but a passing acquaintance with biology, genetics or molecular physics would be helpful, especially since there are no footnotes that define technical terms. The abridgment is a little rough. The listener is left with little sense of the actual length of time it took to unravel the puzzle or even of individual portions of it. R.C.G. (c) AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine