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October 31, 2023 1:13 AM Subscribe
Sara Lippincott (1938-2023), science editor, died this weekend in the fullness of her years. One of the last things she wrote was a memoir The Tea Table [1500 words = 5 mins] about her days as a secretary in the Harvard Bio Labs. As with so many editors her work was vital but largely invisible.
Thanks, this was wonderful.
In googling to figure out whether she was the parent of a well known scientist of the name (it seems not, though perhaps still related), I found this anecdote from John McPhee about working with her. It's similarly enjoyable.
posted by Dashy at 5:00 AM on October 31, 2023 [10 favorites]
In googling to figure out whether she was the parent of a well known scientist of the name (it seems not, though perhaps still related), I found this anecdote from John McPhee about working with her. It's similarly enjoyable.
posted by Dashy at 5:00 AM on October 31, 2023 [10 favorites]
A good editor is a treasure almost beyond words.
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posted by GenjiandProust at 5:10 AM on October 31, 2023
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posted by GenjiandProust at 5:10 AM on October 31, 2023
Wow the voice was just lovely. This was great.
posted by suelac at 8:30 AM on October 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by suelac at 8:30 AM on October 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
Of the four books that TFA mentions in the first paragraph, I've read three. Who knows how many others not mentioned? She was good at what she did for a living.
As for Watson. I am of an age to have had my journey on the dinosaur fanatic kindergartner -> scientist train switch tracks from "palentologist" to "molecular biologist" when I was fourteen, between the news about the genetic engineering moratorium and the appearance of the role "genetic engineer" in some of the science fiction I was reading. I read The Double Helix in a paperback copy I found at the used bookstore where I spent my weekends. I went downtown to the Carnegie library one day and when I looked for recent info on genetics I found The Molecular Biology of the Gene. Watson was a culture hero for me. I suppose it's been at least 20 years now that his assholitude has been common knowledge, but FFS walking around shooting your colleagues with a water pistol... what a brat he was, even then.
posted by Aardvark Cheeselog at 9:28 AM on October 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
As for Watson. I am of an age to have had my journey on the dinosaur fanatic kindergartner -> scientist train switch tracks from "palentologist" to "molecular biologist" when I was fourteen, between the news about the genetic engineering moratorium and the appearance of the role "genetic engineer" in some of the science fiction I was reading. I read The Double Helix in a paperback copy I found at the used bookstore where I spent my weekends. I went downtown to the Carnegie library one day and when I looked for recent info on genetics I found The Molecular Biology of the Gene. Watson was a culture hero for me. I suppose it's been at least 20 years now that his assholitude has been common knowledge, but FFS walking around shooting your colleagues with a water pistol... what a brat he was, even then.
posted by Aardvark Cheeselog at 9:28 AM on October 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
I love McPhee. Thank you for bring Sara Lippincott to my attention.
Those ~1500 words crushed it.
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posted by MonsieurPEB at 11:57 AM on October 31, 2023
Those ~1500 words crushed it.
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posted by MonsieurPEB at 11:57 AM on October 31, 2023
lovely piece of writing. what makes me sad about these posthumous discoveries of people though, is that wouldn't it have been great if they could have been learned about before they died, and perhaps known that they had touched people in some way?
posted by misanthropicsarah at 12:56 PM on October 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by misanthropicsarah at 12:56 PM on October 31, 2023 [1 favorite]
That was just lovely. She paints such vivid pictures. And there are so many delight-provoking phrases ("the Bio Labs on Divinity Avenue;" "C+ from Mrs. Houck. The "plus" was nice of her."; "on the way back to my own mossy cave").
She was, clearly, an outstanding editor, but now I wonder what else she may have written. I would like to read it all.
Thank you so much for posting this, BobTheScientist. What a wonderful mind and spirit.
posted by kristi at 6:31 PM on November 14, 2023
She was, clearly, an outstanding editor, but now I wonder what else she may have written. I would like to read it all.
Thank you so much for posting this, BobTheScientist. What a wonderful mind and spirit.
posted by kristi at 6:31 PM on November 14, 2023
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posted by james33 at 3:13 AM on October 31, 2023 [1 favorite]