Books I Recommend
Most of these books are memoirs by famous scientists. They describe how science is
really done, and why scientists find it so interesting and exciting. The books are
about the people and their times, but they also offer an entertaining way to review
fundamental aspects of science.
Uncle Tungsten, Memories of a Chemical Childhood, by Oliver Sacks
Sacks is a neurobiologist who has written quite a few books about people with
mental problems, showing what they can tell us about how the brain works. One
very popular book was The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. Uncle Tungsten
tells about his childhood, growing up with his own chemistry laboratory in the
house. In addition to being a fascinating autobiography the book also provides a
painless way to review some basic chemistry.
The Double Helix, by James Watson
A classic recounting of a great discovery in biology. The book is very amusing and
easy to read. Watson tells how Crick and he did some of their best work not in the
lab but in the pub. In recent years the book has been attacked by a few people
because they feel that Watson didn’t give enough credit to Rosalind Franklin. Read
both books and decide for yourself.
Rosalyn Franklin: the Dark Lady of DNA, by Brenda Maddox
Because Franklin died when she was only 38, we have little of her view of the story
of the discovery of the structure of DNA. This book describes her part in that
discovery. It also tells how she became a scientist. After the DNA project Franklin
had much success in discovering the structure of viruses.
What Mad Pursuit, by Francis Crick
Crick’s autobiography was published 35 years after the discovery of the structure of
DNA. In addition to telling the story of his early work with James Watson, he
describes his role in several important developments in molecular biology.
The Monk in the Garden, by Robin Marantz Henig
Although Gregor Mendel made one of the great discoveries of science (the rules of
genetic inheritance), the importance of what he did was not recognized until 30
years after he died. The story that appears in the textbooks is quite incomplete.
Mendel’s life as a monk was much different from what we might suspect.
The Statue Within, by Francis Jacob
By an elegant series of genetic experiments Jacob and Monod produced the first
detailed model for how a gene is turned on and off. They were major figures in the
development of molecular biology. In his autobiography Jacob describes his early
days in elementary school and medical school, his participation in the French
resistance during WWII, and his subsequent career in molecular biology - a great
story.
The Strands of a Life, by Robert Sinsheimer
Robert Sinsheimer was Chancellor of UCSC for 10 years. Before that he had a highly
productive scientific career at Cal Tech. Among other discoveries he was the first to
learn that a circular DNA molecule formed the genome of a virus. Half of this book is
about his scientific life and the other half is a fascinating insider’s view of UCSC.
Naturalist, by Edward O. Wilson
This is the only book on this list not focused on molecular biology. Edward Wilson is
one of the great evolutionary biologists, an expert on ants, and a wonderful writer.
His book on ants won the Pulitzer Prize! Above all this is just a terrific life story
about growing up with an interest in the natural world. Wilson also describes life in
academia with great humor and insight.
Charles Darwin: A Biography, by Janet Brown
This is a two volume biography, but much of Darwin’s life and his development of
the Theory of Evolution is in the first volume. It is a very readable book and perhaps
the greatest story in all of biology. A key part of his life was his five-year voyage
around the world, when he was in his early twenties. It turns out that he only spent
18 months on the ship! Darwin emerges as a complex and admirable person. The
second volume focuses on his long life in England and the reaction to his
evolutionary theories.