The Pill, Pygmy Chimps, and Degas' Horse: The Autobiography of Carl Djerassi

Father of the birth control pill, developer of antihistimines, founder of chemical companies, teacher of world-class chemists, best-selling novelist...as "The Scientist" notes, "Few can match Carl Djerassi's juggling act for success and longevity." Here is Djerassi's remarkable autobiography. Blending vivid descriptions of the lucrative world of drug development with controversial chapters on the politics of contraception and poignant chapters about his personal and professional aspirations, this book tells the story of one of the most productive and socially conscious chemists working today. "The Pill, Pygmy Chimps and Degas' Horse" tells how Djerassi, at the ripe old age of 28, within a 12 month period, working in an obscure laboratory in Mexico City, first synthesized cortisone and then the Pill. The book describes his reaction to criticism from feminists that the pill was unsafe and reflected the scientific community's sexism (why was there no male birth control pill?). Finally the book chronicles Djerassi's career at the pinnacle of success in business and academia and his metamorphosis into a socialy conscious scientist, culminating in his founding of one of the first environmentally aware pesticide companies.