The Pill, Pygmy Chimps, and Degas' Horse: The Autobiography of Carl Djerassi

Abstract

Dr Djerassi is a Renaissance man. He is a distinguished scientist, an able entrepreneur, and a talented writer. However, his autobiography is a bewildering sequence of anecdotes, confessions, commentaries, and lectures that do not work together. This is not to say that there aren't some interesting moments. Djerassi is a profound observer of modern medical history, and his experiences are of great interest. In particular, he has had success as a scientist-entrepreneur, coupling academe and industry. I would have liked to have found a more extensive analysis of how and why he succeeded and how other synergies of US industry and academe could develop. For me the most enjoyable parts of the book were those in which Djerassi presents his own creative ideas. His efforts to develop a computer program that would function as a referee for a scholarly journal, his concepts of scientists as modern seafarers, and his ideas