A Passion for Dna

... at the age of 70 the enfant terrible has lost none of his evangelical enthusiasm for science and is still captivated by the richness and promise of what flowed from the discovery he made with Crick all those years ago. A Passion for DNA is a reminder, if any were needed, that we should be equally indebted to Watson for his efforts in what must often have seemed the much more difficult task of overcoming the innumerable controversies and doubts that could have seriously interfered with molecular biology's long-term potential for the benefit of humanity. We owe him a great deal. Science A Passion for DNA is one of the finest books on science that I have ever read. I would highly recommend it to every physician as a scientific primer, history lesson, review of microbiology, study of mentoring, and most fascinating memoir, absorbable in multiple brief essays, fulfilling Dr. Watson's desire to write like a novelist. JAMA In this work, told with refreshing honesty, is the human story of how Watson and Francis Crick won a Nobel Prize for what may be the most important advance in the life sciences since Charles Darwin published The Origin of Species, and the key to understanding the charge of 'eugenics' that has greeted Watson in Germany... Watson asked that his German colleagues not over react, yet 'come to terms' with the legacy of the past, develop ethical safeguards, and move on to applying technologies that can save lives and change the quality of life itself. He is clearly impatient with the pace of the debate and rejects popular positions on ethical issues of genetic research and application current not only in Germany, but in his own country as well. A Nazi would end the debate. He promotes the debate. The debate needs to be heard in the broader context of the struggle for human rights not only in Germany and the rest of Europe, but in America as well...Given the same challenge and a common history, we must come to terms with the past together. In this dialogue, we need those who have the courage to take unpopular positions on the interface of science and society, standing under a glaring spotlight in the arena of democracy. We need James Watson to say what he says. Genes, Ethics & Environment