"Marie Benedict has a remarkable talent for forcing open the cracks of history to draw extraordinary women into the sunlight. In Her Hidden Genius, Benedict weaves together molecular biology and human psychology to bring vivid life to Rosalind Franklin, whose discovery of DNA's exquisite double-helix structure takes on the narrative intensity of a thriller. Fans of historical fiction will devour this complex portrait of a brilliant and trailblazing genius and the price she paid to advance the frontiers of science." - Beatriz Williams, New York Times bestselling author of Our Woman in Moscow
We are thrilled to welcome back Marie Benect to the Penguin Bookshop Writers Series as we celebrate the launch of her newest novel, Her Hidden Genius! As this is a pre-publication event, we'll be getting an inside scoop from Marie about her book before it is released on Tuesday, January 25th! This event will be held virtually via ZOOM, and should last approximately one hour. We will conclude with a Q&A from the audience.
Marie Benedict is a lawyer with more than ten years' experience as a litigator. A graduate of Boston College and the Boston University School of Law, she is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Only Woman in the Room, The Mystery of Mrs. Christie, Carnegie's Maid, The Other Einstein, and Lady Clementine. All have been translated into multiple languages. She lives in Pittsburgh with her family.
Rosalind Franklin has always been an outsider—brilliant, but different. Whether working at the laboratory she adored in Paris or toiling at a university in London, she feels closest to the science, those unchanging laws of physics and chemistry that guide her experiments. When she is assigned to work on DNA, she believes she can unearth its secrets.
Rosalind knows if she just takes one more X-ray picture—one more after thousands—she can unlock the building blocks of life. Never again will she have to listen to her colleagues complain about her, especially Maurice Wilkins who'd rather conspire about genetics with James Watson and Francis Crick than work alongside her.
Then it finally happens—the double helix structure of DNA reveals itself to her with perfect clarity. But what unfolds next, Rosalind could have never predicted.
Marie Benedict's powerful new novel shines a light on a woman who sacrificed her life to discover the nature of our very DNA, a woman whose world-changing contributions were hidden by the men around her but whose relentless drive advanced our understanding of humankind.
"Marie Benedict has a remarkable talent for forcing open the cracks of history to draw extraordinary women into the sunlight. In Her Hidden Genius, Benedict weaves together molecular biology and human psychology to bring vivid life to Rosalind Franklin, whose discovery of DNA's exquisite double-helix structure takes on the narrative intensity of a thriller. Fans of historical fiction will devour this complex portrait of a brilliant and trailblazing genius and the price she paid to advance the frontiers of science." - Beatriz Williams, New York Times bestselling author of Our Woman in Moscow
"Marie Benedict does it again, pulling another brilliant woman out of the shadows of history into an illuminating portrait for posterity. This eye-opening novel deftly explores the life of Rosalind Franklin--the wronged heroine of world-changing discoveries--and her singular pursuit of science. Educational and astounding. Brava!" - Stephanie Dray, New York Times bestselling author of America's First Daughter
"What an important book this is. Through Marie Benedict's trademark insight and immersive historical research, Rosalind Franklin and her extraordinary legacy are beautifully restored to public recognition. So brilliantly sketched is this brilliant woman that you will find yourself both infuriated by the misogynistic battles she faces and inspired by the intellectual achievements she manages to secure regardless. A must-read for anyone interested in science or forgotten heroines." - Kate Moore, New York Times bestselling author of The Radium Girls and The Woman They Could Not Silence