After reading The Making of the Atomic Bomb I decided to pick up Scientist, since while I'd heard of E. O. Wilson, I had done very little reading in the field of biology. This is an unusual biography --- first of all, Wilson is still alive, so Rhodes got to interview him and talk to him. Secondly, I had no idea that the field of biology was split into molecular biology and field biology, and after the discovery of the structure of DNA, the molecular biologists had little time (or respect) for the field biologists, calling them stamp collectors.
Wilson, of course, was a field biologist, making his name by becoming one of the ant experts, keeping colonies of ants in his laboratory to examine and understand their behavior. I thoroughly enjoyed the book's exploration of how Wilson eventually came about to not just become a well known field biologist, but also co-founded sociobiology, evolutionary biology, and then became a two-time Pulitzer prize winning writer. What a resume!
The book ends with a description of his efforts to create public awareness of the current extinction events, as well as the controversy he started with accusations from other groups that he had an agenda to sell. The book is well written, transparent, and short while packing a lot of information in a relatively short space. Recommended!
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