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	Mohrbooks Literary Agency Marie Arendt
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Society & Social Sciences

THE SECRET OF LIFE

Howard Markel

Rosalind Franklin, James Watson, Fancis Crick, and the Discovery of the DNA's Double Helix

A definitive history of the race to unravel DNA's structure, by one of our most prominent medical historians.

Biologist James Watson and physicist Francis Crick's 1953 revelation about the double helix structure of DNA is the foundation of virtually every advance in our modern understanding of genetics and molecular biology. But how did Watson and Crick do it - and why were they the ones who succeeded? In truth, the discovery of DNA's structure is the story of a race among five scientists for advancement, fame, and immortality: Watson, Crick, Rosalind Franklin, Maurice Wilkins, and Linus Pauling. They were fascinating and brilliant, with strong personalities that often clashed. But it is Rosalind Franklin who becomes a focal point for Howard Markel. The Secret of Life is a story of genius and perseverance, but also a saga of cronyism, misogyny, anti-Semitism, and misconduct. Markel brilliantly recounts the intense intellectual journey, and the fraught personal relationships, that resulted in the discovery of DNA. HOWARD MARKEL, MD, PhD, is a professor at the University of Michigan Medical School. An internationally known historian of medicine, he is also a frequent contributor to the PBS NewsHour, The New Yorker, and the New York Times. He lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

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Book Published 2021-09-21 by W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. - New York (USA)

Comments

"The discovery of DNA is one of history's light-switch moments, when the world of science?indeed, humanity?changed forever. Though much has been written on the subject, nothing remotely compares to Howard Markel's magisterial account. Elegantly written, packed with fresh insights gleaned from a wealth of original sources, The Secret of Life takes us into the minds and laboratories of the leading players, highlighting their brilliance, their ambitions, and their sometimes questionable ethical behavior. This book is the merging of a seminal subject and superb author?one of the leading medical historians of our era. The result is truly remarkable."

"The Secret of Life captures the heart-pounding excitement, the unique personalities, and the interplay of chance, inspiration, doggedness, and sound scientific method that allowed for the decoding of DNA. Markel's skills as a trained historian, a physician, and an accomplished writer allow this watershed moment in science to come alive and to be a page turner. A marvelous book!"

Chinese (simpl.): Social Sciences Academic Press ; Greek: Utopia ; Korean: Nulbom ; Russian: Alpina ; Spanish: La Esfera de los Libros

"A deft and deeply researched book, The Secret of Life definitively unravels the most profound scientific mystery of our time and the brilliant, complex, and often conflicting personalities competing to describe the looped architecture of existence. With this story behind the story of life, Howard Markel expertly guides us back to a place of wonder."

"There is no shortage of excellent histories, but Markel ... has written one of the best.... A brilliant addition to the literature on the history of biological discovery."

"Howard Markel's brilliant book examining the discovery of DNA is a 'must-read' for biologists and historians. But this is also a book for every reader; it brings to life the discovery of life itself. From Watson, Crick, and Franklin to the dozens of characters that Markel includes, The Secret of Life covers vast and important ground.An indispensable work."

author essay: History Won't Help Us Now - We have no historical precedent for this moment... Read more...

A cinematic account of toxic masculinity among 1950s DNA researchers... [Rosalind Franklin] probably would have hated being the heroine of a movie, but we're fortunate to have books such as this to put her back in the picture. Read more...

"[An] action-packed history.... Markel skillfully explains the knotty science behind the breakthrough and highlights the clash of outsize personalities.... This wonderfully evocative tale sings."

"The Secret of Life captures the heart-pounding excitement, the unique personalities, and the interplay of chance, inspiration, doggedness, and sound scientific method that allowed for the decoding of DNA. Markel's skills as a trained historian, a physician, and an accomplished writer allow this watershed moment in science to come alive and to be a page turner. A marvelous book!"

"Howard Markel's wonderfully written book, The Secret of Life, explores the story of genetics up to the revolutionary mid-twentieth century decoding of the structure of DNA. And it does so in such brilliant detail that the result is?even for those who might think they know this story?a tale that proves fresh, provocative, startlingly insightful, and addictively fun to read."