I don't like how he dissed Rosalind Franklin. He was horrid, and it was after she died and could not defend herself. Watson may have won the Nobel Prize (in my mind undeserved) and is a sexist and racist man. (See NYTimes 10/19/07.) This book shows his arrogance. My review is is lower than the infinite negative number for such a creep. What a legacy to the bad. ( )

This is the account of the discovery of the structure of DNA, penned by one of the main protagonists in this history-making tale. It is an account from his perspective only, and is perfused by the arrogance and self-confidence that I believe was integral in James Watson's ability to perservere and make, along with Frances Crick and the other scientists involved, this earth shatteringly important scientific breakthrough. It is a picture of a man clearly rooted in the academic cliques and prejudices of the time, an invaluable record of a pivotal moment in our scientific history and a flashback to a time when academic science was firmly rooted in the field of thought and ideas, less polluted with the commercial world that now governs much of the research carried out in the scientific community.

Whilst he is not a writer, Watson's text is quite readable and far less stilted than many accounts by scientists. His personality comes through with avengeance and the reader is left with an overwhelming sense of Watson's confidence in his own superiority. I was amazed at how his questing mind skipped from research topic to research topic, whatever inspired him, from major issues to minutiae in the work of others that set his mind working on a tangent. You are left in no doubt that Watson viewed himself as an ideas man, the scientific graft necessary to make things work something he relegates to lesser scientists, in his words 'minor minds'. Condescension oozes from every page. I'll leave it to you to decide whether this combination of phrenetic bursts of activity and the ability to see the wider picture, sets a genius apart; or whether you see Watson as a scientist who built his reputation on the backs of those who have the diligence and patience to work at an idea and amass the data necessary to prove or disprove an hypothesis, swooping in at the endgame to steal the glory. I would suggest that great discoveries require both components in equal measure. One thing shines through for me, that discovery is not solely genius at work but a meeting between genius, luck and hard work.

Attitudes towards women at that time seem appallingly dated, but in the context of its historical setting, this account certainly shows that it was endemic in the academic world rather than purely James Watson's personal view. Not least in this is the diabolical treatment that Rosalind Franklin received, revealing of attitudes at that time in the academic community. In an odd addendum at the rear of the book, Watson tries to ameliorate this, although whether from personal or public necessity, we shall never know. For me it was too little, too late, too far to the back of the book - that in itself shows that he ranked her treatment as something less important than the discovery he himself was a part of making. His attitude towards women throughout the book is one that screams 'lesser class citizen'; they are there to amuse him, to date but never in a serious level as intellectual equals. Even in his description of Rosalind Franklin, he mentally corrects her physical appearance before giving cursory attention to her ideas. His superior attitude to his sister and her choice of partner is, quite frankly, nauseating in the extreme. At all times, it is Maurice Wilkins' feelings that he tries to spare, Franklin's not being worth consideration. Even his acknowledgement of Franklin in the addendum seems to count her as an exception to the rule of womanhood!

He certainly comes across as harsh, arrogant and lacking in scruples. His fierce efforts to beat Pauling to the finish-line raised the question in my mind of whether you can be a great scientist without being self-serving and competitive - I like to think so. It moves the reader to ask what is more important, the discovery being made or being the one to make it. Something I think often gets blurred in academia today. If this account shows anything, it is that scientific discovery is a combination of the dogged hard work of many and moments of inspiration, often from outside the problem - it may be both impossible and undesirable to disentangle the two.

The book, albeit from a singular perspective, is a great study and record of the interaction between a cast of strong characters. It is an invaluable window onto one aspect of the scientific process and a character study of a single great mind of our time. I would recommend it. Don't expect to like Watson, but appreciate his achievement. ( )

Honest yet condescending and superficial. These adjectives would be the best way of describing not only the tone of this memoir, but also the personality of its author, the famed James D. Watson who, with the help of others, discovered the structure of DNA. The slight tome gives a unique, inside-look at the inner workings and egos of the scientific community, especially in regards to winning fame and renown. In fact, that seems to be the only goal - there isn't much regard to the fact that their biological work with DNA and helices could actually benefit society. The quest for the Nobel Prize is the dominant theme of the book, and the author is very alienating in this regard. The ending is abrupt and frankly anticlimactic, although, as previously stated, the honesty was rather refreshing. However, the memoir was filled with suspense and intriguing in its descriptions of bickering and competition between scientists. It would have been nice to see some analysis or reflection, but there is little imagery or imagination. The Double Helix is literal and informative, and distinguishes itself only by being the first of its kind. It's more personal than a thesis but less inspiring than a textbook. ( )

I always begin this book in a rage about Watson's fame-seeking hubris and unsavory comments about people whom he should have regarded as colleagues ("The thought could not be avoided that the best home for a feminist was in another person's lab" p. 21). But I always end with an apology, reading Watson's epilogue ("Rosalind's exemplary courage and integrity were apparent to all..." p.143). He plays up his youthfulness, but it's still a serious book despite all his efforts.

Like all good memoirs, there's a meta-narrative here that extends the story past the individuals involved. Yes, Watson tells the story of theorizing the structure of DNA. But he also tells the story of his maturity as a scientist: finding his feet in biochemistry, benefiting from the dialog in the scientific community, learning to trust the expertise of others, and pairing experimental results with elegant theory. ( )

Tremendously honest, lucid account of the research work and life surrounding the greatest biological discovery of the 20th century. Any scientist will identify with the detailed descriptions of the difficult bureaucratic and personality obstacles that plagued their research. ( )