Science in fiction

A review of the Bourbaki Gambit

I am surprised that a prestigious imprint like Penguin would accept The Bourbaki Gambit as a novel. It is an uncomfortable advertisement for its author at best and at worst an insult and a slight to the artistic process by a scientist too conceited to realize it. Djerassi, who made discoveries which led to the birth control pill is branching out into a style he calls science-in-fiction. He writes of scientists and of their egos, a bit like C.P. Snow, but with much less art. He revels in showing off his observations of fancy places, but really only manages to show his limited world view. Capri, Manhattan and cliches about vacation resorts.

I guess someone who has achieved so much in science may be excused for thinking that art is something secondary, and this is exactly what writing this novel and sponsoring the arts indicates. Unfortunately, he did manage to publish and by doing so denature and insult the art of writing. There is no depth, no reflection, no insight, only ego here. Detailed cataloging observations, cardboard characters, embarrassing eroticism and pompous lecturing.