The discovery of the structure of DNA is oft regarded as one of the most groundbreaking discoveries of the century and aptly so, as the understanding of the nature of this molecule of life has served as the basis of years of further progress in varying fields. It was only after the structure of DNA was established that the various processes that occur inside a cell, from Replication(DNA to DNA) to Transcription(DNA to RNA) and further on to Translation(RNA to Polypeptides) could properly be understood.
This discovery was of such great importance, that James D. Watson, alongwith Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins was awarded the Nobel Prize in Biology or Medicine in 1962.
As the title suggests, this book is a personal account of the discovery written by James D. Watson. He writes about the challenges he faced in the elusive search, the triumphs and various ideas that helped him along the way, and also about the people he interacted with, their responses to his ideas and almost everything he did during the time. This book is a brutally honest first person account of the events and describes his impressions at that time.
The book is a must read for anyone related to the sciences, especially if he or she has an interest in Biology. One does get a subtle glimpse into the life of a scientist and also how research is carried out. The book does have various technical terminologies at times, which I did not have any problems whatsoever in understanding but that may be because I am from the Biology background. I am not entirely sure whether people from other disciplines would understand these parts. But the book is still very well written and apart from these few and rather rare exceptions(mostly towards the end of the book), the book is easily understandable and a delightful read.
Do give it a read!