Genes, Girls and GamowIn 1953 Watson and Crick discovered the double helical structure of DNA and Watson's personal account of the discovery, The Double Helix, was published in 1968. Genes, Girls and Gamow is also autobiographical, covering the period from when The Double Helix ends, in 1953, to a few years later, and ending with a Postscript bringing the story up to date. Here is Watson adjusting to new-found fame, carrying out tantalizing experiments on the role of RNA in biology, and falling in love. The book is enlivened with copies of handwritten letters from the larger than life character George Gamow, who had made significant contributions to physics but became intrigued by genes, RNA and the elusive genetic code. This is a tale of heartbreak, scientific excitement and ambition, laced with travelogue and '50s atmosphere. |
Contents
PROLOGUE | 1 |
April 1953 | 5 |
AprilMay 1953 | 10 |
June 1953 | 16 |
JulyAugust 1953 | 21 |
September 1953 | 28 |
October 1953January 1954 | 34 |
JanuaryFebruary 1954 | 41 |
NovemberDecember 1954 | 102 |
December 1954January 1955 | 110 |
FebruaryMarch 1955 | 116 |
MarchJune 1955 | 164 |
July 1955 | 174 |
August 1955 | 183 |
September 1955 | 190 |
October 1955 | 198 |
February 1954 | 48 |
MarchApril 1954 | 52 |
May 1954 | 65 |
June 1954 | 69 |
July 1954 | 74 |
August 1954 | 80 |
August 1954 | 86 |
September 1954 | 91 |
October 1954 | 96 |
NovemberDecember 1955 | 214 |
December 1955January 1956 | 221 |
JanuaryFebruary 1956 | 227 |
February 1956 | 235 |
MarchApril 1956 | 239 |
MayJune 1956 | 246 |
JuneSeptember 1956 | 250 |
October 1956March 1968 | 257 |
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afternoon Alex Rich Alfred American amino acids arrived Ava Helen base pairs Berkeley biology Bragg Caltech Cambridge Carradale Cavendish chemist Chemistry Chicago Clare Cold Spring Harbor daughter Dick dinner double helix drove England Francis Crick Francis’s genes genetic Geo Gamow Geo’s George Gamow GG to JDW girl Girton Harvard helical Institute Jane John Kendrew joined Julia King’s College knew later lecture Leslie Leslie Orgel letter from GG Linda Linus Pauling living London look lunch Mariette married Max Delbrück Max Perutz meeting Mitchison molecular morning moved night Nobel Prize Odile Orgel parents party Pasadena Pauling’s Peter Ph.D phage physicist protein RNA molecules RNA Tie Club Rosalind soon Spring Harbor Laboratory structure student summer Sydney talk templates thought tobacco mosaic virus told took University viruses walked wanted week wife Woods Hole X-ray