The Double Helix, James Watson, 1968

Watson received the Nobel Prize in 1962 for his work with Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins to determine the three dimensional structure of DNA performed at Cambridge’s Cavendish Laboratory and in London.  In this slim volume, described by Modern Library as the seventh most important non-fiction book of the 20^th C, Watson tells the story of the science and the personalities that resulted in this revolutionary discovery.  Self-serving, self-absorbed, and self-promoting, Watson was at Harvard and a 41 year old celebrity when he wrote this book, published just one year after I had graduated.  Informative and fascinating, his treatment of Rosalind Franklin who should have received the Nobel as well had she not died, was petty and unnecessarily nasty.  His own ‘brilliance’ is highlighted ungraciously as well.  Despite these flaws, the book tells a fascinating story of scientific progress, serendipity, and hard work that is typical of most major scientific breakthroughs—collaboration, building upon the prior work of others, the ‘aha’ moment, and dumb luck all played important roles.  Worth reading for those who are interested in science and this pivotal moment in biology and medicine.