Luminous Fish

Tales of Science and Love

“Lynn Margulis gives brilliant glimpses of the public and private lives of her characters, and their emotional interactions with each other. An excellent, fascinating and very readable portrayal of men and women scientists as the normal human beings they really are!”

—Sir David Smith, Fellow and former Biological Secretary, Royal Society of London

"A real encounter between a young Lynn Margulis and J. Robert Oppenheimer and his family complements four gently linked stories. I think of a multidimensional tango, of men and women to be sure, but also of two less predictable partners—love and science. Margulis’ first fiction is as intriguing as her research in evolution!"

—Roald Hoffmann, winner, Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1981)

A Sciencewriters Book

This collection of linked stories by internationally renowned evolutionist Lynn Margulis reveals science from the inside—its thrills, disappointments and triumphs. A largely fictional account, it draws on her decades of experience to portray the poor judgment, exhaustion, and life-threatening dedication of real scientists—their emotional preoccupations, sexual distractions, and passions for scientific investigation. The arcane, competitive world of research emerges from the shadows of its passive narrative into the sunlight of the personal voice of those who attempt to wrench secrets directly from nature. All of us who struggle to balance family, professional and social commitments with intellectual quests will be intrigued by the humanity of these tales.

About the Author

Lynn Margulis, renowned biologist and proponent of the Gaia Theory, is author, editor, or co-author of chapters in more than 40 books. She has published or been profiled in many journals, among them Natural History, Science, Nature, Scientific American, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. She has made numerous contributions to the primary scientific literature of microbial evolution and cell biology.

About Sciencewriters Books

Chelsea Green Publishing launched the Sciencewriters Books imprint in the fall of 2006 to develop outstanding works of science for the general public. Sciencewriters Books is co-directed by Lynn Margulis and Dorion Sagan, founders of Sciencewriters, an educational partnership devoted to advancing science through enchantment in the form of the finest possible books, videos, and other media (www.sciencewriters.org). Blending exciting writing with depth of knowledge and dedication to scientific integrity, Sciencewriters Books will publish new and established authors on cutting-edge topics that are key to our survival.