Born for the World (A Biography of Hodgkin)

Author: (English) Ferry, G. (Author), translated by Wang Yanhong, Du Lei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-11-01
Features: "In this biography of Britain's most famous and humble female scientist and peace advocate, Ferry showcases her exceptional talent as a scientific author." —Nature magazine "Georgina Ferry tells the life of Hodgkin in a real and clear way, striking a delicate balance between her personal life and scientific research. She particularly excels in depicting Hodgkin's interactions and friendships, which include not only friends who helped her through difficult times but also those who laid the foundation for many of her achievements. This biography is well-written and enjoyable to read, and it is a book that introduces Dorothy Hodgkin to a broad audience and deserves great success." —Times Literary Supplement Dorothy Hodgkin was an outstanding chemist. She was born in Cairo in 1910, graduated from Somerville College, Oxford in 1932, and then went to Cambridge as a graduate student. In 1934, she returned to Oxford to teach and conduct research. In 1947, she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. Using X-ray crystallography, she determined the structure of penicillin in 1949 and that of vitamin B12 in 1957, becoming the only female chemist in the UK to win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry to date in 1964. In 1965, she received the Order of Merit of the UK. Her research contributed to the large-scale production of penicillin and the later discovery of the structure of DNA. She was not only an active advocate for peace but also enthusiastically helped scientific research in third-world countries such as China, Ghana, and India. Dorothy Hodgkin had a deep affection for China as early as the 1930s. In 1959, she led a British scientific delegation to Beijing to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Until the year before her death in 1993, she visited China eight times. She was the first to announce internationally that Chinese scientists had deciphered the structure of insulin. This book is a biography of Dorothy Hodgkin. Like Hodgkin's gentle nature and steadfast beliefs, the understated biography co-authored by Ferry not only clearly explains Hodgkin's scientific work but also, with abundant detailed information, shows readers the warmth of this outstanding woman's passionate personality and the kindness deep within her heart. The book also vividly depicts the touching bond of mutual understanding between Hodgkin and Chinese scientists.