A Dominant Character: The Radical Science and Restless Politics of J.B.S. Haldane

Samanth Subramanian

This biography examines the pathbreaking radical research and writing of the scientist and philosopher JBS Haldane. This includes his immense contribution to genetics and evolutionary biology—he was the first to calculate the rate at which mutations accumulate in genes, and also predicted in-vitro fertilisation. The book also delves into Haldane’s communist politics and his many years spent in India, including his association with the Indian Statistical Institute in Kolkata and the Genetics and Biometry Laboratory in Bhubaneshwar.

Simon and Schuster, 448 pages, Rs 799