The Art and Politics of Science (book review)

Michael A. Rogawski, University of California - Davis

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The Art and Politics of Science (book review) by Michael A. Rogawski is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

Abstract

In this autobiography and collection of essays, we learn how Harold Varmus created a life of consequence, enabled by his passions, a competitive streak, a certain quirky social deftness, a sixth sense for navigating political minefields, and a dose of chutzpah. Varmus readily admits that it was prizes (actually the Nobel Prize, although he also won the Lasker and many others) that opened doors for him to the halls of power. While the Nobel provides a public voice, it is the rare laureate who can parlay the media attention into a second career as the successful leader of a public institution and from there on to statesmanship.