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In the Shadow of the Nobel Prize presents researchers that have been instrumental in the modern development of medicine, focusing on the fields of clinical hematology, cancer research and transplantation. Gösta Gahrton tells stories of meetings with researchers that he thinks have been worthy of the Nobel Prize, but who have not received it, without revealing anything that has been discussed in the Nobel committee, of which he was a member for 10 years, thus obeying the 50-year secrecy rule.
He also describes encounters with researchers that themselves think they are worthy of the prize and of those that complain about not having received it. His judgment is personal and relates to a development of which he was a participant. His point is that the most important researchers in the world are more important for mankind than those who receive most attention in the media, like soccer players and pop singers. This should in his opinion be changed - the great discoveries and the discoverers should receive more media visibility.
This book contrasts with most books about the Nobel Prizes that tell stories about those who have got the prize. The book is at the same time an autobiography, i.e. the narrative is about those scientists that the author has met, known, and valuated personally as part of his own scientific journey.
