The Birth of the Cell

by Henry Harris

This vivid book tells a story that spans three centuries and crosses many national boundaries—a story of scientific discovery that fundamentally changed the way we understand the basis of life. Henry Harris, one of the world’s leading cell biologists, here provides a strikingly original account of how scientists came to understand that the bodies of all living things are composed of microscopic units that we now call cells. Harris turns to the primary literature—the original texts, scientific papers, and correspondence of medical researchers involved in the formulation of the cell doctrine—to reconstruct the events that enabled researchers to comprehend the nature and purpose of cells. Translating many of these documents into English for the first time, Harris uncovers an authentic version of events quite different from that described in conventional science textbooks.

Focusing on the scientific history of the genesis of the cell doctrine, the author also considers contemporary social and political contexts and shows how these influenced what experiments were undertaken and how the results were represented. He describes the intellectual struggles of pioneers across Europe, including Czech, Polish, and Russian scientists whose contributions have been largely overlooked, and explores their false starts, blind alleys, and detours as well as triumphant verifiable discoveries. The book includes a fascinating collection of photographs—many previously unpublished—that portray those involved in the scientific quest and their observations. This book will not only be a valuable addition to the libraries of science historians and practicing scientists, it will also appeal to general readers interested in the adventure of scientific discovery.

Genres: Nonfiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published November 18, 1998

Reviews

[Travis Sorenson]

A tedious read of the history of cell biology. It is delivered in a way that makes it impossible to follow. The author clearly possessed a wealth of knowledge regarding the subject, but I can’t imagine many readers will be interested in which scientist has “priority” in their claim to discovering a particular aspect of cell biology or which parts of old papers are incorrect. The low rating reflects that this was in no way an enjoyable read and despite containing a vast amount of information, I can’t imagine very many readers will be interested in the particulars that Harris was concerned with.

A much better read is Siddartha Mukherjee’s “Song of the Cell.” Far more entertaining and delivers only the important historical figures, rather than a comprehensive account.

[Travis Sorenson]

A tedious read of the history of cell biology. It is delivered in a way that makes it impossible to follow. The author clearly possessed a wealth of knowledge regarding the subject, but I can’t imagine many readers will be interested in which scientist has “priority” in their claim to discovering a particular aspect of cell biology or which parts of old papers are incorrect. The low rating reflects that this was in no way an enjoyable read and despite containing a vast amount of information, I can’t imagine very many readers will be interested in the particulars that Harris was concerned with.
A much better read is Siddartha Mukherjee’s “Song of the Cell.” Far more entertaining and delivers only the important historical figures, rather than a comprehensive account.