In 1965 I was asked by Dr. Konrad Springer whether I would consider writing a monograph on "Lampbrush chromosomes and their physiological meaning," and although I accepted in principle I refused to write there and then, or to meet a deadline. I wanted to continue with my own research, and I had other responsibilities that left me with little free time, but a much more important consideration was that in the 1960s the subject was beset by a host of unresolved questions. I felt that to write a review then would be premature, full of speculations many of which would be refuted, and indeed were...