Lab Girl by Hope Jahren (2017 nonfiction)
Lab Girl is two books masquerading as one. Hope Jahren produces an autobiography, interesting and untidy, punctuated by scientific essays, fascinating but challenging. To quote, Page 20, “My laboratory is a place where I write. I have become proficient at producing a rare species of prose capable of distilling ten years of work by five people into six published pages, written in a language that very few people can read . . ..”
This rare species of prose supplies Lab Girl’s essays, eminently readable and rewarding. After reading these essays, I turn to Joyce Kilmer, distinguished American poet, to articulate my reaction:
I think that I shall never see
A poem as lovely as a tree,
A tree whose hungry mouth is pressed
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast.
On the other hand, regarding her autobiography, I quote, Page 276, “Bill knows about my writing . . . pages of poetry stuffed in my car’s glove box . . . many nextstory.doc files on my hard drive . . . finding exactly the right word that stabs cleanly at the heart of what you are trying to say. Bill knows how much I need to write.” The result is the bio of a woman scientist, reminiscent of The Help’s Skeeter. I am awed at the dedication and determination and perseverance and achievement of Dr./ Prof. Jahren. I am also slowly seduced by her extraordinary openness to life’s vicissitudes, an openness that is richly rewarded. I recommend you follow Jahren’s example (Page 276) “I read most books twice or more.”
Reviewed by Martin Waldron
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