Reviews

Caesar's Last Breath: Decoding the Secrets of the Air Around Us by Sam Kean

gracecrandall's review against another edition

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adventurous funny informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

3.0


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ketchikrista's review against another edition

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5.0

I have marked this book up. There is so much great information to learn about the gases that make up our air. There were facts I wanted to know more about, watch videos on, laughed at, and some that are just plain sad. If you like science even a smidgeon and history you will love this author.

fshguy's review against another edition

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4.0

Great anecdotes about science contributions through gases and chemistry.

aehsan's review against another edition

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5.0

Supremely satisfying and accessible. The walk through from the start of the universe to climate change broken down by gas element is fascinating but mostly and always interesting. I don't have a strong science background but at no time was I lost or bored. You'll walk away from thsi learning not only the roles of gases and a basic foundation in chemistry but with a smiel on your face also.

eliris's review against another edition

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3.0

Another greatly informational book regarding tiny parts that make up our world that we take for granted today. Mixed with stories of the people that discovered them so a bit historical as well. Not as good (in my own personal opinion) as The Disappearing Spoon, but I do tend to like the periodic table more than I think about the air I breathe every day.

tac107's review against another edition

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5.0

I almost didn't read this book because I had attempted reading Nine Pints last week (similar premise, but about blood) and couldn't finish it. But this book is great! It's engaging without talking down to the reader and makes great use of analogies to explain more complicated physics concepts. The vignettes and little stories are entertaining and informative. A great way to break down something we interact with every day (the air) and educate a whole range of readers about it.

neglet's review against another edition

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Fun, interesting, and thorough exploration of our air and the gases that form it. Don’t forget to read the end notes, they’re just as interesting!

cauchemarlena's review against another edition

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5.0

Selle raamatu lugemisega tekkis mul kohe mitu painavat küsimust: Miks ma seda varem ette ei võtnud? Kuidas saab õhust nii põnevalt kirjutada? Mida see autor veel kirjutanud on? Ja kõige olulisem: kust ma saaksin endale põhikooli ja gümnaasiumi keemia ja füüsika õpikud?

Esimese küsimuse vastus on tegelikult ainus, millele ma vastata oskan. See raamat hirmutas mind, aga samas tundus natuke huvitav ka. Just eestikeelne väljaanne (kuidas ma selle Argo kirjastuse kodulehelt endale tellin?). Inglise keeles lugesin seda aga juhuse läbi, sest see sattus ennem minu juurde. Aga no nii hea. Lausa nii hea, et ma tahan minna ja hakata kuulutama seda kõigile, kes seda kuulda tahavad ja ei taha. Ma tahan selle raamatu oma vanaemale koju lugemiseks saata ja sellised raamatud on vaid need kõikse paremad. Ma pidevalt ohkasin, muigasin, naersin ja lugesin katkendeid ette oma abikaasale, kes siis ka muigas ja naeris. Minus tärkas selline huvi keemia ja füüsika vastu, mis sest et kunagi oli aeg, kus ma täiesti vihkasin neid aineid, sest ma ei saanud mitte midagi aru. Kuidas see võimalik on?! Kuidas suudab üks raamat paari päevaga seda, mida head ja inspireeritud õpetajad ei suutnud kolme aastaga?

See on täpselt selline raamat, mida võiks lugeda kõik, kes tunnevad, et nad on teadusest nii kaugel kui olla annab. See polnud kuiv ja igav õpikulaadne tellis, mille esimesel võimalusel nurka heidaks. Ei. Eile õhtul ma veel lebasin pool tundi voodis ja vahtisin lage, mõeldes, et äkki ma võiksin veel natuke lugeda... Nii ühe peatüki. Terve mõistus kahjuks võitis, nii et ma seda ei teinud, aga tänu sellele sain ma seda imeteost nautida veel ühe päeva.

Nagu raamatu pealkiri otse ütleb, räägib see teos õhust. Kuigi me selle peale üldiselt ei mõtle, on see meie jaoks hädavajalik, olulisem kui söök ja jook. See on keemiliste elementide ja atmosfääri kujunemise lugu, mida jutustatakse mitte läbi arvude, vaid läbi inimeste. Selles on kirjas teaduse ajalugu, mis ei ole lahutatud avastute tegijatest, leiutajatest ega uuendajatest. Neil ja nende motivatsioonidel on just vastupidiselt oluline roll.

Just seotus nende inimestega teeb sellest raamatust hea "õpiku". Ma õppisin nii palju! Ma sain teada nii palju uut ja hästi ära unustatud vana! Kirss tordil on muidugi ka autori stiil, mis lihtsalt tõmbab kaasa.

See oli esimene raamat, mille puhul ma tundsin tahtmist ja vajadust lugeda läbi kõik lisamärkused, mis olid sama huvitavad kui peatükid ise.

Ma tellisin ära ühe inglisekeelse Sam Keani raamatu, mis on lihtsustatud noortele ja kui ta keeleliselt liiga keeruline pole, siis hakkan oma uut usku levitama õpilaste seas. See oli nii paganama hea raamat.

carlyc's review against another edition

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challenging informative medium-paced

4.5

kelamity_reads's review against another edition

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I was fairly certain that I was going to be disappointed with this book after the opening chapter begins by telling the 'quirky' tell of Truman - a man who used to settle his disagreements with his wife by throwing her into a lake despite the fact that she couldn't swim - and seems to find it all somewhat amusing. Domestic violence, what fun!

This book, at least the first half of which I read, is the worst kind of popular science in that it is full of interesting and charming stories about how things work but not very forthcoming with the actual science of it.