This is a novel by an internationally recognized scientist on the subject of scientific experience. When Professor Isidore Cantor reveals his latest breakthrough in cancer research, the scientific community is galvanized. But it is Cantor's promising research fellow, Jeremiah Stafford who conducts the experiment to prove Cantor's hypothesis and wins him the Nobel Prize. Djerassi describes the morals and politics of contemporary science, the fierce competition that drives the scientific superstars to maneuver experimental results, and the pressures placed on younger collaborators. The novel also traces the ordeals of a new breed of young women pushing into a man's world. ISBN 0-385-26183-7: $18.95.