I started my academic career in 1967 in the Chemistry Department at UCLA. One year into my career this book appeared on the scene. Since I had just joined the "Fraternity," I thought I should read one man's view of the career to which I had just entered as a 26-year old PhD scientist and aspiring academician. Klaw produced an amazing analysis of scientific life in America that is still remarkably relevant today more than 3 decades removed. Some of the famous men in chemistry such as Gilbert Stork (Columbia) are quoted directly, while others, such as RB Woodward (Harvard), are disguised as "George Carpenter." The reader would be surprised that "GC-RBW", at the age of 48, was discouraged at what it takes to stay on top. This discouragement should be tempered by the fact that "GC" had just won the Nobel Prize for his contributons to theoretical organic chemistry! I keep buying copies of this fine book to give to my own students who are entering the academic profession. This is a great read, even (especially) for the young! The game is the same! DA Evans, Harvard Chemistry

OK, I admit that I was requred to read this book for my American History class...but once I started reading, I couldn't put this book down! Claw uses lots of primary sources and gives a very sympathetic depiction of the rise and fall of the Oneida colony. Claw has depicted Noyes as a man with a very strong sexual magnetism - but flip to the middle section and check out a picture of this guy. Yuck!

I found the first third of the book pretty boring - the descriptions of John Noyes' childhood and early adulthood are particularly bland. Keep reading though, because the last 2/3rds of the book are mindblowing. Who knew that feminism and Christianity could co-exist? I really enjoyed the books' description of everyday life at Oneida, and the sexual politics that made the community so unique. This is not exactly a summer beach read, but it is definately a thought provoking analysis of one of America's more interesting religious "cults".