Book description
A "beautifully written" (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) memoir-manifesto from the first female director of the National Science Foundation about the entrenched sexism in science, the elaborate detours women have take to bypass the problem, and how to fix the system.
If you think sexism thrives only on Wall Street or…
Why read it?
1 author picked A Lab of One's Own as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
I found that the length of Colwell’s career has given her a depth of experience that shines a light on just how bad science was for women even in the 1950s and 60s.
We sometimes forget that women have been discriminated against for decades, even as they’ve fought hard-won battles to be treated fairly. I appreciated Colwell’s detailed narrative of her science, too, and how the challenge of finding a solution to a scientific problem led to much celebration when that solution was found.
I also liked that she told stories of other women in science, like Nancy Hopkins at…
From Sarah's list on science memoirs written by women.
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