A Very Decided Preference: Life With Peter Medawar

by J.S. Medawar

The widow of the Nobel Prize-winning British scientist describes their life together, her husband's career, and his struggle to conquer the results of a series of strokes

256 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1990

About the author

Lady Jean Medawar.

Reviews

[Crosby · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jean Medawar, the wife of Nobel laureate Peter Medawar describes her life with the world renown immunologist. Dr. Medawar's work in understanding immunologic tolerance is part of all basic immunology text books today and is the ultimate goal of all transplant surgeons. Even after suffering a series of strokes in the latter stages of his life, his "very decided preference" for living was well documented by his wife in this book. The book does not add much to the scientific story of Peter Medawar's life that was not already discussed by Medawar himself in his earlier biography but Jean's narration certainly emphasizes his zest for life and scientific discovery. It also elicits admiration for her support and sacrifice to see that her husband maintained that preference for life even until the very end when his last stroke had robbed him of sight, mobility, etc. They were an unconventional couple that sacrificed many things for the love of science.