Linus Pauling: A Man and His Science

by Anthony Serafini

Linus Pauling could be considered the American cowboy of science. His approach to the discipline evinces the same pioneering spirit that drove the early settlers to explore and conquer ever-widening frontiers. Pauling has always been willing to take risks in proposing controversial new scientific his ground-breaking work on sickle-cell anemia, the theory of anesthesia, chemical bonding, and his near-victory in the DNA race show the tremendous range of his professional talents and curiosity. Pauling’s approach to life and his role as a public figure reflect the same brand of risk-taking and controversy. Active as a peace crusader and humanitarian, he has never hesitated to question the political or scientific establishments. He engendered hostility among the scientists of the Manhattan project (developers of the atomic bomb), expressed opposition to 1943 wartime interment of Japanese-Americans, openly defended J. Robert Oppenheimer during the "Red Scare" period, and worked toward a nuclear test-ban treaty in the 1950s. Anthony Serafini uses letters, documents, and interviews with Pauling’s contemporaries to take the reader through the many facets of Pauling’s life, including his student days, triumphs in chemistry, a 1962 Nobel Peace Prize, and more.

Genres: Biography, Science

360 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Franklin Hobart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whew ...Serafini goes after Linus Pauling like a Terminator, as he is well-known for doing. He rips his career to shreads especially the vitamin C business. Still I did enjoy the book. The best part was his treament of Pauling's work on the chemical bond and the famous race to discover the structure of DNA. The book has angered a lot of scientists though. There are other biographies of Pauling and tom hager's is probably a notch better than this one, though it has to be noted that Hager's book was authorized by Pauling and had Pauling's full cooperation while the Serafini bio was unauthorized