
The Double Helix
A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA
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Narrated by:
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Grover Gardner
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Roger Clark
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By:
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James D. Watson
By identifying the structure of DNA, the molecule of life, Francis Crick and James Watson revolutionized biochemistry and won themselves a Nobel Prize. At the time, Watson was only 24, a young scientist hungry to make his mark. His uncompromisingly honest account of the heady days of their thrilling sprint against other world-class researchers to solve one of science's greatest mysteries gives a dazzlingly clear picture of a world of brilliant scientists with great gifts, very human ambitions, and bitter rivalries.
With humility unspoiled by false modesty, Watson relates his and Crick's desperate efforts to beat Linus Pauling to the Holy Grail of life sciences: the identification of the basic building block of life. Never has a scientist been so truthful in capturing in words the flavor of his work.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©1968, 1996 James D. Watson (P)2011 Audible, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...




















Editorial reviews
For most people, the discovery of the double-helix structure of DNA is the kind of ninth grade science fact you forgot as soon as the final was over. But the real story behind the breakthrough is a lot more interesting than trying to remember which of the bases pair up – and in The Double Helix, DNA-discoverer James D. Watson shares his memories of the find that earned him and his research partner, Francis Crick, a Nobel Prize.
The book, narrated almost entirely by Grover Gardner, traces the team's work on DNA at the Cavendish Laboratory in England in 1953, when Watson was in his early 20s. He and Crick raced frantically against other researchers – most notably Linus Pauling – in an effort to illuminate the structure of DNA, and thereby shed light on the genetics of all life. Watson doesn't shy away from using scientific terms, but Gardner's straightforward reading makes even the most complicated experiments easy to follow. And while the book's original release inspired controversy from scientists who didn't agree with Watson's version of events, Gardner gives Watson's voice all the excitement, passion, and dedication you'd expect from a young scientist on the verge of one of the world's greatest discoveries.
Roger Clark lends his elegant tenor to the book's afterward, written by Sir Lawrence Bragg --the youngest Nobel winner in history - who offers a scientist's take on Watson's memories. Bragg points out that The Double Helix is a record of "impressions, not facts" but he gets to the heart of what makes this memoir so appealing when he reminds us that few scientific books are as fresh and direct as Watson's – which is something your ninth grade science teacher would no doubt agree with. —Blythe Copeland
Critic reviews
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An insiders look t the scientific establishment
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Double enjoyable
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Fascinating
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I especially enjoyed Watson's epilogue about Rosie. That almost made me cry.
I would definitely recommend this book. I like to read some good non-fiction, especially after I've read/listened to a 'guilty-pleasure' book. Hope it keeps me in balance.
So glad this is available.
I laughed, I almost cried, it was very good
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Where does The Double Helix rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
This is a pretty good listen. It helps if you know what they are talking about in order to visualize the scenes, an X-ray crystallography for example. I have had a good look at all the research spoken of hear and seen "The Race for the Double Helix" so I could imagine the interiors very well.What did you like best about this story?
The story reads like a good mystery and it is suspenseful.Any additional comments?
It is very interesting about the abrupt end to James Watson's career and very intigueing how a possible (note possible) racist would be involved in DNA research.Second Time Around
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Not good, not bad
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Fabulous book!
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More of an adventure story than learning science
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easy to learn
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A must read for any student of the sciences
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