Intended Audience
Scholarly & Professional
Reviews
'Review from other book by this author Carl Djerassi's scientific authorship of one of the most socially significant innovations of our time is well known. In this book, he examines the implications and social reception of the Pill with a combination of humanistic concern and careful socio-scientific analysis that is as rare as it is valuable.'Kenneth J Arrow, Nobel laureate in Economics, 1972'fascinating . . . entertaining'Redaktion Angewandte Chemie, 2002'It is attractively written, appealing to non-scientists as well as to chemists'Chemistry in Britain, January 2002'his essays are well worth reading' Nature 20/12/2001'To a degree almost totally foreign to scientists, Carl Djerassi has put himself and his science under the microscope. In the process, he ranges far afield from the social implications of this monumental synthesis of the birth control "Pill" to his most recent excursions into the expression of science in literature, with poetry, fiction and the drama as his media. Join this voyeuristic feast.'Joshua Lederberg, Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine, 1958, 'To a degree almost totally foreign to scientists, Carl Djerassi has puthimself and his science under the microscope. In the process, he ranges farafield from the social implications of this monumental synthesis of the birthcontrol "Pill" to his most recent excursions into the expression of science inliterature, with poetry, fiction and the drama as his media. Join thisvoyeuristic feast.'Joshua Lederberg, Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine, 1958, 'It is attractively written, appealing to non-scientists as well as to chemists'Chemistry in Britain, January 2002, 'To a degree almost totally foreign to scientists, Carl Djerassi has put himself and his science under the microscope. In the process, he ranges far afield from the social implications of this monumental synthesis of the birth control "Pill" to his most recent excursions into the expressionof science in literature, with poetry, fiction and the drama as his media. Join this voyeuristic feast.'Joshua Lederberg, Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine, 1958, 'Review from other book by this author Carl Djerassi's scientific authorship of one of the most socially significant innovations of our time is well known. In this book, he examines the implications and social reception of the Pill with a combination of humanistic concern and carefulsocio-scientific analysis that is as rare as it is valuable.'Kenneth J Arrow, Nobel laureate in Economics, 1972, 'Review from other book by this author Carl Djerassi's scientificauthorship of one of the most socially significant innovations of our time iswell known. In this book, he examines the implications and social reception ofthe Pill with a combination of humanistic concern and careful socio-scientificanalysis that is as rare as it is valuable.'Kenneth J Arrow, Nobel laureate in Economics, 1972
Dewey Edition
21
Illustrated
Yes
Dewey Decimal
613.9/432
Table Of Content
1. An exaltation of thirty: Murasaki and company2. Genealogy and birth of the pill3. Bitter pills4. The view from Tokyo5. Sex and Immortality6. From the pill to the PC7. Science-in-fiction is not science fiction. Is it autobiography?8. Behind the scrim of fiction9. The softer chemist10. The pill and Paul Klee11. Science on stage12. What if?
Synopsis
On October 15, 1951, in a small laboratory in Mexico City, one of the key episodes in 20th century social history occurred: the first synthesis of a steroid oral contraceptive--an event that triggered the development of the Pill. Carl Djerassi has been honored worldwide for that accomplishment, which ultimately changed the life of women and the nature of human reproduction in ways that were not then foreseeable. Now, on the 50th anniversary of this pivotal event, Djerassi weaves a compelling personal narrative full of self-reflection and humor, illuminating the impact this invention has had on the world at large and on him personally. This Man's Pill presents a forcefully revisionist account of the early history of the Pill, debunking many of the journalistic and romantic accounts of its scientific origin. Djerassi does not shrink from exploring why we have no Pill for men or why Japan only approved the Pill in 1999 (together with Viagra). Emphasizing that development of the Pill occurred during the post-War period of technological euphoria, he believes that it could not be repeated in today's climate. Would the sexual revolution of the 1960s or the impending separation of sex (in bed) and fertilization (under the microscope) still have happened? Djerassi also credits the Pill with radically altering his life, allowing him to become one of the few American chemists to have a second career, that of a novelist and playwright. These talents are clearly evident in This Man's Pill , a superbly written and uniquely authoritative account of a discovery that changed the world., Carl Djerassi was responsible for the chemical synthesis of the first steroid oral contraceptive: he is widely referred to as the 'father of the Pill'. In This Man's Pill, Djerassi reflects on the impact the invention of the oral contraceptive pill has had on the world, and on Djerassi himself. It includes a revisionist account of the early history of the Pill, debunking many of the journalistic and romantic accounts of its scientific origin. Here is a uniquely authoritative account of a discovery that changed the world., On October 15, 1951, in a small laboratory in Mexico City, one of the key episodes in 20th century social history occurred: the first synthesis of a steroid oral contraceptive--an event that triggered the development of the Pill. Carl Djerassi has been honored worldwide for that accomplishment, which ultimately changed the life of women and the nature of human reproduction in ways that were not then foreseeable. Now, on the 50th anniversary of this pivotal event, Djerassi weaves a compelling personal narrative full of self-reflection and humor, illuminating the impact this invention has had on the world at large and on him personally. This Man's Pill presents a forcefully revisionist account of the early history of the Pill, debunking many of the journalistic and romantic accounts of its scientific origin. Djerassi does not shrink from exploring why we have no Pill for men or why Japan only approved the Pill in 1999 (together with Viagra). Emphasizing that development of the Pill occurred during the post-War period of technological euphoria, he believes that it could not be repeated in today's climate. Would the sexual revolution of the 1960s or the impending separation of sex ("in bed") and fertilization ("under the microscope") still have happened? Djerassi also credits the Pill with radically altering his life, allowing him to become one of the few American chemists to have a second career, that of a novelist and playwright. These talents are clearly evident in This Man's Pill, a superbly written and uniquely authoritative account of a discovery that changed the world., October 15, 1951 marks the birthday of one of the key episodes in 20th century social history: the first synthesis of a steroid oral contraceptive in a small laboratory in Mexico City - an event that triggered the development of the Pill. Carl Djerassi has been honoured worldwide for that accomplishment, which ultimately changed the life of women and the nature of human reproduction in ways that were not foreseeable. On the 50th anniversary of this pivotal event, Djerassi weaves a compelling personal narrative full of self-reflection and occasional humour on the impact this invention has had on the world at large and on him personally. He credits the Pill with radically altering his academic career at Stanford University to become one of the few American chemists writing novels and plays. This Man's Pill presents a forcefully revisionist account of the early history of the Pill, debunking many of the journalistic and romantic accounts of its scientific origin. Djerassi does not shrink from exploring why we have no Pill for men or why Japan only approved the Pill in 1999 (together with Viagra). Emphasizing that development of the Pill occurred during the post-War period of technological euphoria, he believes that it could not be repeated in today's climate. Would the sexual revolution of the 1960s or the impending separation of sex ("in bed") and fertilization ("under the microscope") still have happened? This Man's Pill answers such questions while providing a uniquely authoritative account of a discovery that changed the world.
LC Classification Number
RG137.5.D57 2003
