Brave Genius

A Scientist, a Philosopher, and Their Daring Adventures from the French Resistance to the Nobel Prize

Sean B. Carroll 2013

Dr. Carroll, evo-devo biologist, writes a double biography of two of his own heroes, biologist Jacques Monod ( 1965 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine) and philosopher Albert Camus (1957 Nobel Prize for Literature). Dr. Carroll pursued a French second major in college, and is a WW2 history buff; he was uniquely motivated and prepared to write this book.

Monod ( nom de guerre "Malivert") was the number two leader of the Forces Français de LeIntérior - which coordinated the whole French Resistance. He led a double life - researcher on gene expression in E. Coli at the Sorbonne (and later at Pasteur), while making clandestine trips to Switzerland to convince the Allies that Maquis with a little dynamite could do much more damage to the Wehrmacht than squadrons of Allied bombers, while doing far less damage to the countryside.

Camus wrote "The Myth of Sisyphus" and part of "The Plague" during the Nazi Occupation, under his own name. Suffering from tuberculosis and unable to fight, he was also editor and chief writer for the underground newspaper "Combat" (writing as "Beauchard"). His writing helped recruit, educate, and coordinate the resistance. Without both of their work, the Normandy invasion could have failed. An example - the resistance discovered that a small hole punched in a rubber brakeline with an awl would cause the brakeline to rupture and stop the train after it left the yards and was on the main line. Quick, undetectable, nonviolent, devastating to the Nazi war effort.

After the Nazis were driven out of France, the brilliant scientist and brilliant philosopher revealed themselves to the world, and were war heros as well as becoming famous for their science and literature.

Much of the resistance was organized by French Communists, who were loyal to Moscow. Stalin was supportive of Lysenko, and both Camus and Monod were repelled by this, although both had dabbled with Communism before and during the war. Camus broke ranks with past friends like Satre, and denounced the Soviet Union and the destruction of the individual. Out of their shared opposition to tyranny, they became good friends.

Monod's Hungarian colleague Agnes Ullman was trapped in Budapest after the 1956 uprising. Monod used his resistance training to help organize her 1960 escape with her husband, hidden under a bathtub in a motor home. In the same year, Camus died in an auto accident.

These are amazing stories. Dr. Carroll's thesis is that these two men were shaped and strengthened by their roles in the FFI and the liberation of France. While most of us would prefer a world without conflict, sometimes conflict transforms ordinary men into heros.