From Caracas to Stockholm: The Life in Medical Science [Hardcover]

Baruj Benacerraf (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1998

By the time Benacerraf received a Nobel prize in 1980 for his discovery of immune response genes, he had travelled a long way - literally on the road to success. He was born in Venezuela in 1920 to Sephardic Jewish parents from Algeria and Morocco. Benacerraf's childhood was spent primarily in Paris, until fear of war with Nazi Germany compelled his family to flee to Venezuela in 1939. Persuading his parents to send him to New York that same year, Benacerraf attended Columbia University, beginning a peripatetic existence that lasted until he landed in Boston in 1969, where he has held prominent positions at Harvard Medical School and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. In the meantime, his passion for medical research gained him numerous prestigious appointments and awards. In addition to chronicling developments in his personal life, Benacerraf offers up rather dry accounts of his most important research projects - as well as his prediction for advances in cancer treatment and his somewhat crotchety opinions on the state of science education today and the research grant business. Despite colourful early years and his impressive accomplishments, Benacerraf paints his life in a two-dimensional fashion and presents insights without enough imagination to sustain the average reader's interest for long.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

By the time Benacerraf received a Nobel prize in 1980 for his discovery of immune response genes, he had traveled a long wayAliterallyAon the road to success. He was born in Venezuela in 1920 to Sephardic Jewish parents from Algeria and Morocco. Benacerraf's childhood was spent primarily in Paris, until fear of war with Nazi Germany compelled his family to flee to Venezuela in 1939. Persuading his parents to send him to New York that same year, Benacerraf attended Columbia University, beginning a peripatetic existence that lasted until he landed in Boston in 1969, where he has held prominent positions at Harvard Medical School and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. In the meantime, his passion for medical research gained him numerous prestigious appointments and awards. In addition to chronicling developments in his personal life, Benacerraf offers up rather dry accounts of his most important research projectsAas well as his prediction for advances in cancer treatment and his somewhat crotchety opinions on the state of science education today and the research grant business. Despite colorful early years and his impressive accomplishments, Benacerraf paints his life in a two-dimensional fashion and presents insights without enough imagination to sustain the average reader's interest for long.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Benacerraf, a 1980 Nobel laureate for his work in immunology, has lived in Venezuela, France, and the U.S. His autobiography is the fascinating account of a perceptive, forceful individual who can admit making mistakes and has no qualms about stating his beliefs. His discussion of the damage wrought on America by the 1968 student revolution is thought-provoking. As a Jew, he saw his applications rejected by top U.S. medical schools because of their quota systems (later he served on the faculty of two of them and turned down the invitations of several others). Born into wealth, Benacerraf was early exposed to the arts and humanities and later had a stint as a banker. Personal interests and good teachers led him to science and medicine and a successful career in laboratory investigation and medical administration. He writes clearly, with humor, and to the point, so that the reader's questions are answered in the next sentence or paragraph. A remarkable, appealing autobiography. William Beatty

Product Details

• Hardcover: 280 pages
• Publisher: Prometheus Books (August 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1573922277
• ISBN-13: 978-1573922272
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,177,269 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #29 in Books > Travel > Europe > Sweden > Stockholm

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars From Caracas to Stockholm, December 8, 2009

By 

Rene J. Buesa - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: From Caracas to Stockholm: The Life in Medical Science (Hardcover)

Very good. This is the second time I review it favourably. Please check your files and don't ask me anymore.

3.0 out of 5 stars Less than I hoped for, March 31, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: From Caracas to Stockholm: The Life in Medical Science (Hardcover)

Benacerraf is a charming writer, but I was somewhat disappointed with the book. I was hoping to find some new insights into the creative process in science and some sparkling anecdotes about this Nobel Prize winner's colleagues. I did not find much of either.