The man who mistook his data book for bedside reading

In an effort to engage the public, and simply because they enjoy it, chemists are turning to the arts to simplify scientific language. But sometimes the language itself can be stimulating, says one best-selling author.

An illustrious selection of scientists involved in the arts - from Carl Djerassi, creator of the contraceptive pill turned playwright (see Chemistry World, Sept. 2004, p65) to Roald Hoffmann, winner of the 1981 Nobel prize in chemistry turned poet (and Rio de Janeiro ’Carnaval’ performer, as it transpired) - turned up to entertain delegates attending the President’s Cultural Event chaired by American Chemical Society president Charles Casey at the society’s 228th National Meeting.

In a surprise addition to the programme, Oliver Sacks, author of The man who mistook his wife for a hat and Awakenings, later adapted for a Hollywood blockbuster, spoke on popular science writing. In fact, he says, perhaps he was not best qualified: ’I don’t quite think of science writing as an entity,’ Sacks told Chemistry World. ’I confess I was a little puzzled and embarrassed when I was asked to edit, as I did, The best American science writing of 2002,’ he admitted.

The point he makes is that many of the great authors of what would now be called science writing were simply great authors - the term ’science writing’ didn’t exist before 1850.

Among his favourite books as a boy was John Griffin’s Chemical recreations, published in 1834. Neurologist Sacks was fascinated by chemistry as a child, and recently published his childhood memoirs: Uncle tungsten: memories of a chemical boyhood.

In addition to great works of literature, Sacks enjoys what he calls ’non-writing’. By his bedside, for instance, you will find a copy of the CRC handbook of chemistry and physics. ’Pure data for all 5000 pages’ he enthuses (though the publisher only admits to 2712). Sacks even wrote a foreword to the 85th edition.

Bea Perks/Philadelphia, US