NY, Atheneum, 1968. An advance copy, in the form of bound signatures, of Watson's somewhat controversial account of his discovering the double helix structure of DNA in 1953, with Francis Crick. Both lauded and criticized for its personal, and thus subjective, viewpoint, The Double Helix was slated to be published by Harvard until some of the principals objected; it was then brought out by Atheneum. It contains both a prologue and an epilogue in which the author attempts to distance himself from some of the immediate impressions conveyed in the narrative. The book was a bestseller and in 1998, it was listed at number 7 of the Modern Library's nonfiction books of the century. Signed by Watson. Sewn signatures, bound into the red endpapers; modest creasing to the covers; near fine. Cameo appearance by John Steinbeck in the photograph of Nobel Prize winners in Stockholm in 1962: Watson and Crick for Physiology/Medicine; Steinbeck for Literature. Extremely uncommon in any sort of advance issue, probably because of the publication history cited above. [#033498] SOLD