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dustspectre's review
adventurous
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
A well written book about a facinating topic! Easily one of my favourite nonfictions so far
madscientistcat's review against another edition
The beginning was interesting but it quickly became repetitive and often dull. It's largely uninteresting personal details about specific individuals mixed with unexplained and overly complicated physics details. There's not a driving narrative voice taking me through each discovery; it's so jumpy and the pacing and interest is all over the place, even within a single chapter. There's also a strange feeling of hero worship that is very distracting and hard to fully explain.
There's a line in the beginning -- "Science doesn't care what you look like or where you come from," that just really bugs me. It strikes me as that neo-liberal colorblindness mindset, because *of course* science cares about that stuff and there's zero reference to actual systemic problems, only to how two people managed to personally overcome the biases by being some of the smartest humans to ever live (whose names we've never heard because *systemic sexism and racism*) as though that makes anything a meritocracy?
Similarly, almost everything surrounding the atomic bombs the US dropped on Japan is talked about like an arm's-length theoretical of something that merely happened in a book, with a ton of hero worship and hand waving of ethics. The one reference to the actual tragedy is stated as "two atomic bombs fell on Japan," as though they just fell out of the sky randomly. That dismissal left such a bad taste in my mouth.
Ultimately I just don't care enough to slog through the rest so I'm putting it down.
Similarly, almost everything surrounding the atomic bombs the US dropped on Japan is talked about like an arm's-length theoretical of something that merely happened in a book, with a ton of hero worship and hand waving of ethics. The one reference to the actual tragedy is stated as "two atomic bombs fell on Japan," as though they just fell out of the sky randomly. That dismissal left such a bad taste in my mouth.
Ultimately I just don't care enough to slog through the rest so I'm putting it down.
ladyarwen's review
5.0
This is possibly the best pop-sci book I have ever read. It had enough science to keep us in the field entertained and nodding along, clear (not-too-technical) explanations, tons of fun anecdotes and random historical facts, and amusing footnotes. The first third of the book is all about the transuranic elements, Manhattan project, etc. After that, we get into the realm of superheavy elements. It is hard to write an exciting story about 8 atoms (118), but Chapman manages it.
I just got my copy signed by Kit (he even drew a little unicorn!) and enjoyed a group dinner with him (yes, I'm bragging!) His voice and story-telling is the same in person, and he is just as funny and interesting in person and on the page.
I just got my copy signed by Kit (he even drew a little unicorn!) and enjoyed a group dinner with him (yes, I'm bragging!) His voice and story-telling is the same in person, and he is just as funny and interesting in person and on the page.
djfreshjams's review
4.0
I liked this quite a bit. The author's conversational writing style is what really keeps it going, but it's also very informative and the topic is fascinating.
stitch626's review
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
5.0
Very good exploration of the discoveries of the superheavy elements. Written in a lighter way that keeps the humanity in the science.
geekberry's review
5.0
H E C K.
Superheavy easily dethrones Disappearing Spoon as my favourite popsci book. Must read for lovers of the periodic table, the elements and science history, and not just for the facts. I need to slowly read this again in the near future so I can figure out how Chapman can make what could have been a dry topic (I wrote about elements 113-118 recently and found it very difficult) so compelling. I swear there was something in every chapter that made me go "oh holy wow" or laugh out loud.
My life's mission is now to get this my copy signed...
Superheavy easily dethrones Disappearing Spoon as my favourite popsci book. Must read for lovers of the periodic table, the elements and science history, and not just for the facts. I need to slowly read this again in the near future so I can figure out how Chapman can make what could have been a dry topic (I wrote about elements 113-118 recently and found it very difficult) so compelling. I swear there was something in every chapter that made me go "oh holy wow" or laugh out loud.
My life's mission is now to get this my copy signed...