The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1968. First UK Edition. Publisher’s purple boards, lettering and double helix design in gilt along spine, in original dust jacket designed by Dorothy Judd. A fine copy. Signed ‘Jim Watson’ on the title-page and rare thus as it is very uncommon for James Watson to pen his name in the diminutive/familiar version & without inscription.

First edition of Watson’s ground breaking work regarding the discovery of DNA for which the author, Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1962. In 1998 ‘The Double Helix’ was judged by the Board of Modern Library as No. 7 in their assessment of ‘100 Best Non-Fiction Books,’ and No 88 by the Library of Congress of Congress in the ‘Books That Shaped America.’ This copy was signed at the Hay Literary Festival in 2012. A ticket to the event is inserted in inner flap of d.j. Housed in solander box.