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Interesting! As thrilling as the periodic table gets I think. Really enjoyed how the book was organized.
funny
informative
medium-paced
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
informative
medium-paced
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Audio
This was a fascinating science book (who knew I'd ever say those words?!) Kean reminds the readers about the periodic table of the elements and perhaps instructs them as they, probably like me, never knew how it was achieved/discovered. There are many interesting anecdotes about the scientists (and sometimes ordinary people) who have devoted their lives to understanding chemistry and physics .I found the narrator as the voice of the author to be engaging . While having a chart of the table in front of me probably would have helped, since this was an audio book, I was treated to the seamlessness of the narrator reading all the author's notes without my having to page back to the end of the book to do so. Glad I learned some things I never knew before!
This was a fascinating science book (who knew I'd ever say those words?!) Kean reminds the readers about the periodic table of the elements and perhaps instructs them as they, probably like me, never knew how it was achieved/discovered. There are many interesting anecdotes about the scientists (and sometimes ordinary people) who have devoted their lives to understanding chemistry and physics .I found the narrator as the voice of the author to be engaging . While having a chart of the table in front of me probably would have helped, since this was an audio book, I was treated to the seamlessness of the narrator reading all the author's notes without my having to page back to the end of the book to do so. Glad I learned some things I never knew before!
Bravo, Mr. Kean! There are a good amount of character-driven, pop-sci histories out there now, of which I've read a few. This is now one of my favorites, right up there with Bill Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything." While Bryson can't be trumped in style, his take on the genre is starting to show it's age. Since "The Disappearing Spoon" has such a relatively narrow focus, it really allows the author to plumb the depths of the subject. He digs up plenty of obscure, half extinct anecdotes, and every little bit of it is fascinating. Not a single extraneous detail saps your interest in hearing more.
If I had to complain about something, and I always try to, it would be the analogies. Analogies are used all throughout to explain anything relatively complicated. This technique makes me wince, in any context or medium. They felt particularly forced in this book, and I don't think they really enhance the general reader's understanding. Also, if it's even worth mentioning, this book caves to the "equations in pop sci" rule and includes very little technical detail. Could we at least get an appendix? It still gets five stars because this book is all about the stories, not the science.
If I had to complain about something, and I always try to, it would be the analogies. Analogies are used all throughout to explain anything relatively complicated. This technique makes me wince, in any context or medium. They felt particularly forced in this book, and I don't think they really enhance the general reader's understanding. Also, if it's even worth mentioning, this book caves to the "equations in pop sci" rule and includes very little technical detail. Could we at least get an appendix? It still gets five stars because this book is all about the stories, not the science.
I now simultaneously know more about the periodic table than I ever did and also just how little I know and understand the periodic table and the sciences behind it. This book is a crash course in the interesting, scientific, and innovation that happened in relation to the periodic table and discovery of the elements it contains.
Most of the stories revolve around discovery; who did it, who contested it, when it was done, how they knew, etc. Some of these are exciting, some are not, but it did show just how much progress has been make it leaps and bounds and fizzled spurts throughout history. I hadn't heard of a majority of people (although some I definitely did, Curie, etc.), so it was nice to learn of accomplishments that don't get as much time in typical history books.
While there were parts that definitely went over my head (and some parts that were a bit dull and probably helped that along), I still maintain that this was better than a majority of science classes I had at explaining the makeup of the table and how the elements were classified. The majority of the book though was palatable and even as a random reader with no particular affinity to the topic, I could enjoy the book.
Curious about the elements? Check this one out!
Review by M. Reynard 2022
Most of the stories revolve around discovery; who did it, who contested it, when it was done, how they knew, etc. Some of these are exciting, some are not, but it did show just how much progress has been make it leaps and bounds and fizzled spurts throughout history. I hadn't heard of a majority of people (although some I definitely did, Curie, etc.), so it was nice to learn of accomplishments that don't get as much time in typical history books.
While there were parts that definitely went over my head (and some parts that were a bit dull and probably helped that along), I still maintain that this was better than a majority of science classes I had at explaining the makeup of the table and how the elements were classified. The majority of the book though was palatable and even as a random reader with no particular affinity to the topic, I could enjoy the book.
Curious about the elements? Check this one out!
Review by M. Reynard 2022
I don't normally review non-fiction reads, but this one is just too superb to pass up! A wonderful and engaging read from cover-to-cover. Sam Kean takes the periodic table of the elements, a chart that makes most people cringe at thoughts of high school (or college) chemistry, and turns it into a riveting drama about the table's origins and the hunt to find new elements. Science geeks will love the scientific jargon but you don't need a degree in chemistry to understand the fascinating stories behind the revolutionaries responsible for our modern day technologies. This is definitely a book you can read over and over and still find little morsels you might have previously missed. Kean is amusing, insightful and presents complex information in a very understable package. A must read for fans of scientific history.
informative
medium-paced
I’m so glad I ended up reading this with my son. I learned so many interesting things from naming conventions, politics, science, and of course, chemistry. It’s not dense and is written in an easy to understand format while still throwing a lot of information at you. I’d totally recommend this if you wanted to add a little nonfiction to your reading. Not just for kids.