It all started with a bunion operation. The woman who shared the room with me was totally immersed in her paper while I concentrated on pain-killing Sudokus. I finally asked her what she was reading. She handed me a Guardian Weekly: “You may keep it!” I certainly did. I read it from cover to cover, fascinated by its range, depth of coverage, style. I was hooked.
Over the years I learnt a lot, particularly about the most pressing world issues. I usually first head for World roundup, the article on the last page, the photos, Sudoku, the quick (only) crossword, some Maslankas, Notes & Queries.
Every few months an Indian friend picks up his bundle of Weeklies, eventually passed on to other friends. So any one copy doesn’t end with me.
After a BSc in physics and a PhD in biophysics from King’s College London, I went to Ottawa on a fellowship from the National Research Council, followed by some years of research at the Columbia Medical Center in New York and a Cancer Institute in Paris. Then I worked at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna.
Ultimately, it all led to a greater ability to laugh at myself and life. So I decided to write a book about it, at my ripe old age of 91, calling it A Very Green Donkey: Snippets, Authentic and Uncensored, from a Woman Scientist’s Memoir.
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