Linus Pauling: And the Chemistry of Life (Oxford Portraits in Science) [Hardcover]

Tom Hager (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 23, 1998 | Series: Oxford Portraits in Science

Linus Pauling was the most important chemist, and arguably the most important American scientist, of the 20th century. From his description of the chemical bond to his discovery of the cause of sickle-cell anemia and his groundbreaking work with vitamin C, his work stretched the boundaries of chemistry, physics, biology, immunology, and more. Acclaimed science writer Tom Hager brings Pauling's wide range of scientific accomplishments vividly to life while also shedding light on Pauling's activities outside the scientific realm. He shows how Pauling used his popularity to advance political causes, particularly his opposition to the spread of nuclear weapons during the 1950s. Despite the troubles his political activism caused him, he remained unmoved in his dedication to making the world a safer place. His perseverance was rewarded with a Nobel Peace Prize in 1963, which along with his 1954 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, made him the only person in history to win two unshared Nobels.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up-This well-written biography of the winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry is truly a portrait of a "scientific giant." Pauling's research achievements in chemistry, physics, biology, and medicine are clearly discussed in relation to his life. One-to-two page sidebars offer additional information about the nature of the chemical bond, the molecular structure of proteins, Vitamin C, and other topics that engaged his interest. Pauling's use of his recognition as a scientist to advance political causes and the problems that this activism caused him (FBI and other governmental investigations, attacks by the press, cancellation of research grants, etc.) is given equally fine coverage. Black-and-white photographs of the scientist and reproductions of handwritten pages from his notes and speeches illustrate the text. The extensive list of further reading by and about the Nobel Prize winner and his political and scientific interests will be useful to students stimulated by this engaging title.
Carolyn Angus, The Claremont Graduate School, CA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 9^-12. Hager's lively entry in the Oxford Portraits in Science series introduces Pauling, winner of the Nobel Prize and vitamin C advocate, integrating technical discussions of chemistry into the story of a scientist with a passion for discovery and compassion for humanity. Recounting a variety of incidents from Pauling's life, Hager depicts a man who was propelled by curiosity and whose relentless work ethic netted him stellar academic appointments, the Nobel Prize in chemistry, and numerous other honors. In the 1940s, at the urging of his wife, he added politics to his plate and became a forceful voice in the antiwar and antibomb movements, garnering the Nobel Peace Prize in 1963. Students with a strong science background will get the most out of this biography, but even young people who don't like science will be able to identify with a man whose scientific curiosity and political principles led him to try to change the world. Chronology and recommended readings. Randy Meyer

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (April 23, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195108531
• ISBN-13: 978-0195108538
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,095,990 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Thomas Hager writes dramatic stories about the ways in which science and technology shape our world. After a long career in science freelancing and magazine editing, he wrote "Aging Well" with his wife Lauren Kessler (1990), then "Force of Nature: The Life of Linus Pauling," which was named one of Library Journal's Best Sci-Tech Books of the Year, 1995. After several more Pauling-related projects and a stint as a book publisher, he wrote "The Demon Under the Microscope: From Battlefield Hospitals to Nazi Labs, One Doctor's Heroic Search for the World's First Miracle Drug" (2006), called "fascinating" (Los Angeles Times), "a grand story" (Wall St. Journal), and "surprisingly entertaining" (Entertainment Weekly). This was followed by "The Alchemy of Air: A Jewish Genius, a Doomed Tycoon, and the Discovery that Fed the World but Fueled the Rise of Hitler," a finalist for the National Academies Communications Award, Borders "Original Voices" selection, and one of Kirkus Reviews' Best Books of 2008.

Hager's research travels have taken him from the deserts of Peru and Chile to the urban heart of Tokyo, from the hushed libraries of Paris and London to the packed streets of the world's most crowded city (that would be Dhaka, Bangladesh). He is a native Oregonian, and lives in the wooded hills near Eugene.