On Thu, 29 Apr 1999, Dr. Joyce Johnson wrote:
> I bought a copy of Candice Pert's book Molecules of Emotion at SEPA and
> read it over Spring Break <snip>
I sometimes show the Nova video "Keys of Paradise" about the discovery
of enkephalin and endorphin to my class, and Pert is featured. She
comes across as a lively, feisty, inquisitive model of a young
scientist. It certainly seemed unjust that she was passed over for
the Lasker award despite originating the brilliant research for which
it was awarded. I expected great things from her future career in
science.
So I'm glad that Joyce brought this new book of hers to our attention.
But it seems that her career has radically changed directions. Here
are two comments on her book from Amazon,com:
>From Kirkus Reviews , July 1, 1997
Pert, a self-described ``catalyst in the mindbodyspirit revolution in
modern medical science,'' and once a chief of brain chemistry at the
NIH, freely intermingles vibrant stories of her professional and
personal life with her theories about neuropeptides. Currently a
research professor at Georgetown Medical Center in Washington, Pert
may be best known as one of the scientists on Bill Moyers's PBS series
Healing and the Mind. In the early 1970s, she made a name for herself
with her key role in discovering the brain's opiate receptors. For the
next decade, however, owing to her protests over her exclusion from
the prestigious Lasker Award, her reputation among scientists was more
that of feminist troublemaker than pathfinder. Certainly the picture
she draws here of the science establishment would seem to suggest a
world of aggressive, even ruthless, alpha males fighting for the top
prize. She also traces her own evolution from competitive bench
scientist to explorer of personal healing modalities. The death of her
father, the end of her marriage, her resignation from the NIH, her
embracing of the Christian faith, and her discovery of the healing
power of dreams--all were, she says, life-shaping events. Pert also
explains her theory that neuropeptides and their receptors are the
biochemicals of emotions, carrying information in a vast network
linking the material world of molecules with the nonmaterial world of
the psyche. Her views on mind-body cellular communication mesh well
with the concepts of energy held by many alternative therapies, and
she is now, not surprisingly, a popular lecturer on the wellness
circuit. Her final chapter describes an eight-part program for a
healthy lifestyle, and she has appended an extensive list of
alternative medicine resources. Strong scientific support for the
mind-body school of medicine, sure to rankle those alpha males back in
the labs. (Author tour) -- Copyright 1997, Kirkus Associates, LP.
And then there's this opinion (not mine--from an Amazon.com reader):
"I sought out this book because I was looking for a layperson's
introduction to the topic of its title, written by an expert in the
field."
"What I got was a repellent mishmash of personal and professional
bitterness mixed with superficial counterculture spiritualism, with
occasional nuggets of experimental brilliance tossed in like raisins
in a halfbaked pudding."
"I'm glad I only checked this book out from the library, because I
will never purchase it. Instead, I will track down Pert's original
journal articles in Current Contents, and slog my way through them. It
will be slower going, but at least I'll know the material underwent
peer review before it was published."
""The Double Helix" it ain't.
>From molecular neurobiologist to New Ager: who would have guessed it?
Curiously, her conversion reminds me that the same thing seems to have
happened to Michael Crichton, the novelist. Years ago I was impressed
with his account of cutting-edge medicine in "Five Patients". But as
he recalls in his autobiographical book "Travels", he went from
Harvard Medical School to eventually becoming a New Ager who talks to
cacti in the desert. I hope this isn't becoming a trend.
BTW, "Travels" is a great read, including the flakey parts, and my
recommendation for some light summer entertainment. It's especially
good for people who want to know about sawing a head in half, and why
it might not be a good idea to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.
-Stephen
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Stephen Black, Ph.D. tel: (819) 822-9600 ext 2470
Department of Psychology fax: (819) 822-9661
Bishop's University e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Lennoxville, QC
J1M 1Z7
Canada Department web page at http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy
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