Double Helix- A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA

Memoir/Science

Double Helix- A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA James D. Watson

Discovery of the structure of DNA molecule has been hailed as one of the foremost scientific feat of twentieth century. DNA is the molecule of life. Thus, when Francis Crick ‘winged in to the Eagle (a bar at Cambridge) to tell everyone within hearing distance that we had found the secret of life’, he was in fact mouthing the plain truth, though making Watson ‘slightly queasy’.

This short book is an account of events which led to this ingenious and monumental discovery, written by one of the lead players in this quest, James D. Watson. Watson was then merely twenty-four years old. He has written these memoirs as he then saw the world, the events, and personalities involved, i.e., through the eyes of a young scientist who is in a hurry to make his mark in the world of science and earn a Noble Prize.

Narration is exceedingly frank and unpretentious. There is no allusion to alleged hunger for knowledge or relentless pursuit of truth. Watson unabashedly and repeatedly mentions his ambition to earn a position of repute among world scientists. Book is written in a humorous, light and breezy vein. Language is smooth and conversational. Unhesitatingly, Watson states his opinions about the eminent scientists of the day who were involved in the research and some of his opinions are far from charitable. But even these do not seem born of malice of professional rivalry, but mere statements of facts. He never attempts to glorify his achievements. On the contrary he frankly talks about his ignorance of crystallography- the technique that revolutionised the study of molecular structure and was the single most important factor in discovery of DNA structure- and physics in general, till he reached King’s College in Cambridge. He candidly reveals the often-critical help he sought and obtained from his colleagues in his research.

Here is a young scientist from USA who has come to Cambridge not only to do science but to enjoy life. ‘An important truth was slowly entering my head: a scientist’s life must be interesting socially as well as intellectually,’ he writes in a place. As a result, book reads like a story and Watson effectively builds an atmosphere of drama and mystery. You read every page breathlessly with increasing sense of urgency as the research nears its climax.

This is a unique memoir in the world of science because of its unassuming air, the callowness of the leading player peeping out of every page, and its simple and good natured narration of professional rivalry in the world of science.