The novel intertwines the discovery of the chemical structure of
DNA with the musicality of
Johann Sebastian Bach's
harpsichord composition the
Goldberg Variations. A similar theme is explored by
Douglas Hofstadter in his 1979 book
Gödel, Escher, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid. The title also alludes to
Edgar Allan Poe's 1843 short story "
The Gold-Bug", which is incorporated in the plot of the novel. The plot hinges on two love affairs: the first set in the 1950s, between two scientists intent on discovering the mysteries of DNA; the second in the 1980s, between two lovers who befriend the scientist featured in the novel's flashbacks. ==Awards==