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by Matthew Cobb (Author)
A major new biography of Francis Crick, co-discoverer of the structure of DNA, pioneering neuroscientist, and twentieth-century genius
"Vivid and authoritative... [an] intriguing portrait of a gifted, self-absorbed, exuberant, and intuitive man." --The New York Times Named a Best Book of the Year by Economist - Guardian What are the moments that make a life? In Francis Crick's, the decisive moment came in 1951, when he first met James Watson. Their ensuing discovery of the structure of DNA made Crick world-famous. But neither that chance meeting nor that discovery made Crick who he was. As Matthew Cobb shows in Crick, it is another chance encounter, with a line from the writing of Beat poet Michael McClure, that reveals Crick's character: "THIS IS THE POWERFUL KNOWLEDGE," it shouted. Crick, having read it, would keep it with him for the rest of his life, a token of his desire to solve the riddles of existence. John Keats once accused scientists of merely wanting to "unweave a rainbow," but it was an irrepressible, Romantic urge to wonder that defined Crick, as much as a desire to find the basis of life in DNA and the workings of our minds. For the first time ever, Cobb presents the full portrait of Crick, a scientist and a man: his triumphs and failings, insights and oversights. Crick set out to find the powerful knowledge. Almost miraculously, he did.Author Biography
Matthew Cobb is a professor emeritus at the University of Manchester He earned his PhD in psychology and genetics from the University of Sheffield. He is the author of seven books including: As Gods: A Moral History of the Genetic Age, The Idea of the Brain, and Life's Greatest Secret. He lives in England.
Number of Pages: 608
Dimensions: 1.6 x 9.4 x 6.1 IN
Publication Date: November 11, 2025
