Louis Pasteur
Louis Pasteur Books
Product Description
Distinguished French immunologist and physician Patrice Debré offers an extensive, balanced, and detailed account of Louis Pasteur’s life, struggles, and contributions. Drawing heavily on Pasteur’s own scientific notebooks and writings, Debré presents a complete critical account of his discoveries and the controversies they raised with other scientists and occasionally with his closest associates.
Amazon.com ReviewLouis Pasteur was more than just a man; in the words of his latest biographer he was “a living symbol, embodying both science and France.” That’s a pretty heavy assessment, but appearance from respected French immunologist Patrice Debre, it’s certainly credible. Written for the centenary of Pasteur’s death, this book is a comprehensive, insightful examination of his life and work, made far more fascinating and accessible by the author’s natural flair for describing the details of scientific research with simple, compelling prose.
Though it is fashionable to undermine the posthumous reputations of our heroes (and many have gone to work on Pasteur), Debre finds greater value in acknowledging Pasteur’s obstinacy and possible data fudging within the much-broader context of the man’s incredibly successful working life. By his insistence on practically applying science to real problems, he helped further France’s silk and wine industries and greatly reduced the harm of such diseases as anthrax, cholera, and rabies. With all that–and more–to his credit, it seems hardly worthwhile to complain that he may have predetermined some of his experimental consequences or harbored unreasonable anti-German sentiments, and Debre refuses to judge Pasteur on anything less than his entire life. On that scale, his heroism is beyond doubt. –Rob Lightner
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I found the English translation so fascinating that I may possibly not place it down. I wish the book had been available when I ongoing my own education. The author does an brilliant job of relating the research of Pasteur to his historical setting. Pasteur was the develop scientist and the author reveals this on page after page. This book should be required reading for students interested in any aspect of science. A well-worn copy of this book should be on the shelf of anyone interested in pursuing a career in science.
Rating: 5 / 5
You bought this book because you sought after some insight into the life of the “father of microbiology.” You sought after to see, in particular, whether his genius was carefully nurtured or if it arose spontaneously. You will be disappointed, and the reasons may never be clear. When a book translated from a foreign language below-achieves its objectives and leaves the reader unsatisfied, it is never clear if the fault lies with the author or the translator. Elborg Forster’s translation of Patrice Debré’s ambitious work has two closely-correlated problems. The first problem which the reader encounters is the density of the language. The ponderous syntax of the French intellectual is preserved in Forster’s prose, and it does not work as well in English. The second problem is that either the author or the translator is not sufficiently scientifically literate to be able to clarify Pasteur’s original contributions. For example, Chapter Two provides a fantastic discussion of “isomorphism,” without ever explaining what the formal mathematical term means in the context of the growth of crystals. Also, speaking of “left-handed” and “aptly-handed” crystals, without informing the reader of how the terms are used, renders the meaning inaccessible to even the scientifically literate reader. Considering the quantity of scholarship which observably went into the book, it would have been worth the modicum of effort necessary to welcome the reader rather than challenge him. It’s a shame. Such a fantastic man; such a weak book.
Rating: 1 / 5