Trained in physics and chemistry, beginning his career as a teacher of those subjects and a researcher in crystallography, Pasteur as a young man would not have seemed likely to make an international reputation in medical research. But he did, and Debre in this fine biography traces the steps in the transition and illuminates Pasteur's many achievements in the field. Scientific American Splendid. -- Alice M. Stewart Times Higher Education Supplement Writing in an engaging style, the author has created a balanced and detailed account of Pasteur's personal and professional life... Highly recommended. Library Journal (starred review) Originally published in France to commemorate the centennial of Pasteur's death and now deftly rendered in English, this masterful biography offers the most complete portrait yet of a multifaceted genius. Booklist Debre's biography contributes substantially to an understanding of the scientific, material, personal, and institutional circumstances of the major experimental discoveries commonly credited to Pasteur. -- Martha L. Hildreth Social History of Medicine A candid, detailed, and lively biography that demystifies this cult figure, showing him in front of his test tubes or at work in his dog kennel. L'Express A superior specimen of traditional narrative biography... Debre tells Pasteur's story with pace and flair. -- Roy Porter Times Literary Supplement
