Howard Markel--physician, professor and gifted writer--tells the story [of DNA] again, setting scenes and shrewdly capturing the character and motivations of the central players. [H]is depiction of the clash of personalities is superb.--Katherine A. Powers, Washington Post Markel''s engrossing book makes a convincing case that Franklin deserves much more recognition; science lovers and laypeople alike will be drawn in by this compelling story.--Michael Schaub, NPR A cinematic account of toxic masculinity among 1950s DNA researchers. [Rosalind Franklin] probably would have hated being the heroine of a movie, but we''re fortunate to have books such as this to put her back in the picture.--Katy Guest, The Guardian Howard Markel''s brilliant book examining the discovery of DNA is a ''must-read'' for biologists and historians. But this is also a book for every reader; it brings to life the discovery of life itself.

From Watson, Crick, and Franklin to the dozens of characters that Markel includes, The Secret of Life covers vast and important ground.An indispensable work.--Siddhartha Mukherjee, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Emperor of All Maladies and The Gene The discovery of DNA is one of history''s light-switch moments, when the world of science--indeed, humanity--changed forever. Though much has been written on the subject, nothing remotely compares to Howard Markel''s magisterial account. Elegantly written, packed with fresh insights gleaned from a wealth of original sources, The Secret of Life takes us into the minds and laboratories of the leading players, highlighting their brilliance, their ambitions, and their sometimes questionable ethical behavior. This book is the merging of a seminal subject and superb author--one of the leading medical historians of our era. The result is truly remarkable.--David Oshinsky, professor of history and medicine, NYU, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Polio: An American Story Howard Markel''s wonderfully written book, The Secret of Life , explores the story of genetics up to the revolutionary mid-twentieth century decoding of the structure of DNA.

And it does so in such brilliant detail that the result is--even for those who might think they know this story--a tale that proves fresh, provocative, startlingly insightful, and addictively fun to read.--Deborah Blum, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Poison Squad: One Chemist''s Single-Minded Crusade for Food Safety at the Turn of the Twentieth Century A deft and deeply researched book, The Secret of Life definitively unravels the most profound scientific mystery of our time and the brilliant, complex, and often conflicting personalities competing to describe the looped architecture of existence. With this story behind the story of life, Howard Markel expertly guides us back to a place of wonder.--Charles Graeber, New York Times best-selling author of The Good Nurse and The Breakthrough: Immunotherapy and the Race to Cure Cancer The Secret of Life captures the heart-pounding excitement, the unique personalities, and the interplay of chance, inspiration, doggedness, and sound scientific method that allowed for the decoding of DNA. Markel''s skills as a trained historian, a physician, and an accomplished writer allow this watershed moment in science to come alive and to be a page turner. A marvelous book!--Abraham Verghese, MD, professor of medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, and author of Cutting for Stone There is no shortageof excellent histories, but Markel . has written one of the best. Abrilliant addition to the literature on the history of biological discovery.

--Kirkus, starred review Epic. Markel masterfully demonstrates how temperaments, pettiness, and the pursuit of prestige can poison science. An illuminating and candid resetting of a pivotal moment in science, with characters who often cross the line between antagonist and protagonist.--Booklist, starred review Markel unifies the timeline and gives voice to the scientific and personal thoughts of the principal scientists. Enjoyable.--Library Journal, starred review [An] action-packedhistory. Markel skillfully explains the knotty science behind thebreakthrough and highlights the clash of outsize personalities. Thiswonderfully evocative tale sings.

--Publishers Weekly.