The NY Times reviewed Matt Ridley’s biography of Francis Crick today. He is an interesting character.

Crick refused to meet the queen when she visited Cambridge’s new Laboratory of Molecular Biology because he disapproved of royalty, and he declined a knighthood. He deeply disliked religion, saying once that Christianity was all right between consenting adults but should not be taught to children.

I like Matt Ridley’s writing (Genome is outstanding) and I am fascinated by men like Crick. How can you not like a man who invented a mine for blowing up minesweepers?

But that obstacle overcome, his devices worked splendidly, sinking more than 100 Sperrbrechers and stripping German waters of their defenses.

Amazon, here I come.