About this book
This engrossing biography by one of molecular biology's foremost scholars reveals the remarkable evolution of Francis Crick's scientific career and the shaping of his personality. From unpromising beginnings, he became a vital contributor to a remarkably creative period in science. Olby chronicles Crick's life from his early studies in biophysics, to the discovery of the structure of DNA, to his later work in neuroscience and the nature of consciousness. This account is woven together with insights into his personal life gained through access to Crick's papers, family, and friends. Robert Olby's book is a richly detailed portrait of one of the great scientists of our time.
Contents
Time Line
Preface
Acknowledgments
1. The Call to Stockholm
2. A Difficult Act to Follow
3. From the Provinces to the Big City
4. War Work for the Royal Navy
5. Biology at the Strangeways
6. Helical Molecules at the Cavendish Laboratory
7. The DNA Fiasco
8. Two Pitchmen in Search of A Helix
9. A Most Important Discovery?
10. Publishing the Model
11. Employed by the John Wayne of Crystallography
12. The Genetic Code
13. Preaching the Central Dogma
14. Crick as Experimentalist Attacking the Genetic Code
15. The Excitement of the Sixties
16. Speaking out on Controversial Subjects
17. Biological Complexity
18. Leaving the 'Old Country'
19. Taking the Plunge: Neuroscience
20. From the Searchlight to the Soul
21. Eighty-Eight Years
Epilogue
Sources and Notes
Illustrations Credits
Biographical Index
Index
Customer Reviews
Biography
Robert Olby, a prominent historian of science, is research professor in the Department of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Pittsburgh and author of the highly regarded "Origins of Mendelism" (1966, 1985) and "The Path to the Double Helix" (1974, 1994). He has published and lectured widely on 19th and 20th century topics in biology, genetics, and molecular biology. Olby is a member of the History of Science Society and the International Academy of the History of Science.