Product Description

The Nobel Prize for the discovery of the structure of DNA was given to three scientists - James Watson, Francis Crick, and Maurice Wilkins. It was the experimental work of Wilkins and his colleague Rosalind Franklin that provided the clues to the structure. Here, Wilkins, who died in 2004, gives us his own account of his life, his early work in physics, the tensions and exhilaration of working on DNA, and his much discussed difficult relationship with his colleague Rosalind. This is a highly readable, and often moving account from a highly distinguished scientist who played one of the key roles in the historic discovery of the molecule behind inheritance.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #312888 in Books
• Published on: 2005-07-14
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

About the Author
Professor Maurice Wilkins, who died in 2004, was Emeritus Professor of Biophysics at King's College London.

Customer Reviews

Maurice Wilkins The Third Man of the Doublr Helix
Prof.Wilkins wrote this book partly because the popular biography of his co-worker Rosalyn Franklin "The Dark Lady of DNA" by Brenda Maddox implied that he had disadvantaged her as a woman and quoted it as an example of the injustice of male scientists towards their women colleagues and questions have been raised whether the credit was distributed fairly when the Nobel Prize was awarded. His book is an attempt to respond to this accusation and to tell his side of the story. I think that he succeeded in this. As a former female research assistant of his I have to agree with him.
The book is very readable, tracing his whole interesting life and as Arthur C. Clarke said: "No intelligent person . . . . should fail to read this book."