Intuition

De: Allegra Goodman

Narrado por: Kathe Mazur

Hailed as “a writer of uncommon clarity” by the New Yorker, National Book Award finalist Allegra Goodman has dazzled readers with her acclaimed works of fiction, including such beloved bestsellers as The Family Markowitz and Kaaterskill Falls. Now she returns with a bracing new novel, at once an intricate mystery and a rich human drama set in the high-stakes atmosphere of a prestigious research institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Sandy Glass, a charismatic publicity-seeking oncologist, and Marion Mendelssohn, a pure, exacting scientist, are codirectors of a lab at the Philpott Institute dedicated to cancer research and desperately in need of a grant. Both mentors and supervisors of their young postdoctoral protégés, Glass and Mendelssohn demand dedication and obedience in a competitive environment where funding is scarce and results elusive. So when the experiments of Cliff Bannaker, a young postdoc in a rut, begin to work, the entire lab becomes giddy with newfound expectations. But Cliff’s rigorous colleague–and girlfriend–Robin Decker suspects the unthinkable: that his findings are fraudulent. As Robin makes her private doubts public and Cliff maintains his innocence, a life-changing controversy engulfs the lab and everyone in it.

With extraordinary insight, Allegra Goodman brilliantly explores the intricate mixture of workplace intrigue, scientific ardor, and the moral consequences of a rush to judgment. She has written an unforgettable novel.©2006 Allegra Goodman; (P)2006 Books on Tape

if you have a lab read it, otherwise skip it

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

folks who spend time in research labs

What was most disappointing about Allegra Goodman’s story?

It took almost the whole book to "take off" and ended up not clearing the trees. Slow, subplots like smitten teens and other side plots, didn't much like any of the characters, completely undramatic and just something that did not seem like a whole lot of interest to anyone - and I am in the medical sciences.

How could the performance have been better?

Just did not like the reader's voice - rarely happens with Audible but was too whiney for my enjoyment

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Not many. I have no idea who recommended it but won't make that mistake again.

A Few High Spots

Sadly, there were only a few high spots in this book. Cancer research is a fascinating topic, however I found the characters to be shallow and tediously predictable. The foreign accents were a bit hard to believe and consequently were distracting.

Morality in a Cancer Research Lab

I had to read this book for a science fiction literature class in college and I ended up loving it! I thought it was interesting and it didn't have dull areas. The character development was great and I love the ending too. Great read!

Allegra Goodman is a Genius

How does she do it? I've read this book, and listened to it twice, and I still don't know how Allegra Goodman made this work.

Each time I return to it, I enjoy the story, I like the characters, I want to be part of the world depicted here - but the mystery at its heart (what actually happened in the lab) evades me again. I think one thing happened but apparently it didn't.

After three experiences, though, I will return to it again early in 2017 and once again I know I will be so pulled into the story that I won't notice the writer's skill until it's over and I'm once again wondering how it all worked.

Kathe Mazur's beautiful performance made this audio version even more pleasurable than the physical book.

Now if only someone would record Kaaterskill Falls and The Family Markowitz, and do a better recording of The Cookbook Collector - but I can definitely recommend them in book form.

Unrealistic depiction of labs and scientists

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

A more realistic depiction of the true nature of scientific investigations and creating truly believable characters!

Has Intuition turned you off from other books in this genre?

Other books by Allegra Goodman.

Which character – as performed by Kathe Mazur – was your favorite?

She did them all well, though Kate was probably my favorite.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Intuition?

All of them.