Djerassi C. 1996 (Reprint). The Bourbaki Gambit : A Novel

The Bourbaki Gambit : A Novel
by Carl Djerassi

Penguin USA
ISBN: 0140254854
Reprint edition (October 1996)

Book Description

From Booklist , August 19, 1994: This is the second book (the first was Cantor's Dilemma) in what chemist Djerassi projects will be a tetralogy about what makes scientists act like scientists. The Nobel laureate calls his efforts science in fiction to distinguish them from science fiction, and in this novel, he portrays, rather than the adventurous and speculative concerns of most sf, the scientist's desire for recognition by his peers, the inherent collegiality of science, and the current aging of so many of the great practitioners of Western science. Max Weiss has recently been "retired" as a professor of biochemistry. He comes up with the idea of creating a contemporary small group of scientists modeled after the real-life gathering of French mathematicians who publish under the name Nicolas Bourbaki. Weiss' group will show that scientific altruism is workable and that creative work can be done by retired or elderly scientists. The group fares fairly well until one of its members discovers a major new method. Djerassi perceptively explores his characters' motives and their changing attitudes and relationships. William Beatty Copyright© 1994, American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the hardcover edition of this title

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