Coming soon · Book Profile
How to Win a Nobel Prize
A curious ten-year-old named Mary time-travels with Nobel laureate Barry Marshall to meet eleven great scientists, learning what it actually takes to make a world-changing discovery and win a Nobel Prize.
A profile of this book is on the way.
What it’s about
How to Win a Nobel Prize is a playful, fact-packed science adventure for young readers in which Mary, a science-obsessed girl, stumbles upon a secret society of Nobel laureates and blackmails her way into a time-traveling tour of eleven of history's greatest scientific breakthroughs. Through lively encounters with Einstein, Marie Curie, Marconi, the DNA pioneers, Fleming, Tu Youyou, Chandrasekhar, Gertrude Elion, Norman Borlaug, Rita Levi-Montalcini, the molecular-machine chemists, and Barry Marshall himself, the book reveals that great discoveries come from curiosity, persistence, collaboration, willingness to break 'known facts,' and a desire to help humanity rather than to chase fame. Interwoven with real biographical facts, sidebars on how the Nobel works, and hands-on experiments kids can do at home, it turns the mystique of scientific genius into something relatable and achievable.
The through-line
- Who it’s for
- A curious young reader (like Mary) who loves science and dreams of making a great discovery, perhaps even winning a Nobel Prize.
- The problem
- They don't know what it actually takes to make a world-changing scientific discovery or how great scientists worked. They feel that Nobel-level science is intimidating, mysterious, reserved for special geniuses, and out of their reach.
- The plan
- Meet real Nobel laureates and learn the story behind each breakthrough.
- Absorb each scientist's advice on curiosity, persistence, collaboration, and purpose.
- Try hands-on experiments to experience the science yourself.
- Question 'known facts' and keep an open mind.
- Focus on helping people and doing your best work rather than chasing awards.
- The payoff
- The reader gains confidence that they can do real science and contribute to human knowledge. · They understand discovery as achievable through curiosity, persistence, and collaboration. · They value meaningful, humanity-serving work over fame and money.
See our guide
Additional reading
- The Double Helix · James D. Watson
The author recommends this book because it conveys the excitement, competitiveness, and human reality of a major scientific discovery, showing science as a dynamic process rather than a dry collection of facts.
- The Structure of Scientific Revolutions · Thomas Kuhn
This book is cited for its concept of the 'paradigm shift,' which the author uses to frame the importance of his own Nobel-winning discovery and to explain how science progresses through revolutionary changes in thought.
- The Great Influenza · John M. Barry
Recommended as the best account of the 1918-19 pandemic, a topic central to the author's own field of virology and immunology, and as a fascinating story of medicine, society, and politics.
- Rosalind Franklin: The Dark Lady of DNA · Brenda Maddox
The book highlights the story of a key contributor to the DNA discovery who was not fully credited at the time, touching on themes of scientific ethics, collaboration, and the challenges faced by women in science.
- A Mathematician's Apology · G. H. Hardy
The author quotes Hardy's assertion that a young person's 'noblest ambition is that of leaving behind one something of permanent value' as a framing idea for his own scientific journey.
- The Medusa and the Snail · Lewis Thomas
Quoted at the beginning of the book for its central idea that 'we are profoundly ignorant about nature,' which the author regards as a major discovery of modern biology.
- Arrowsmith · Sinclair Lewis
The author notes that this romantic novel about a life in science includes a character, Rippleton Holabird, who is a fictionalized and unflattering portrayal of Peyton Rous, the discoverer of cancer-causing viruses.
- Losing the Nobel Prize · Brian Keating
The author's first book, which provides the critical context for his views on the Nobel Prize and its culture, contrasting with the more celebratory tone of this book.
- A Beautiful Question: Finding Nature’s Deep Design · Frank Wilczek
Discussed in detail during Wilczek's interview, it explains his core philosophy of using beauty and symmetry as a powerful guide in scientific discovery.
- The Emperor’s New Mind · Roger Penrose
Mentioned as a book that had a profound influence on the author, showcasing a laureate's exploration of deep questions about consciousness and physics for a popular audience.