by John Emsley
This little book takes a delightful idea and executes it perfectly. In this book John Emsley, a British Chemistry professor, puts on exhibit for us a series of molecules. Each molecule has a few pages dedicated to it, which explain a few interesting facts about it and current uses for it. This book stays away from the 'boring' parts of chemistry and isn't worried about chemical formulas or the mathematical details of chemical reactions, but rather looks at the real life uses and applications of the chemicals and 'stories' about its use.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and recommend it as a book worth picking up if you happen to have any interest in science You need little to no science background to understand what he is talking about, and you will find out many fascinating facts that you never realized about everyday products that you use.
Random Quote:
The most notorious real-life thallium poisoner was the serial killer Graham Young, who in 1971 put thallium sulphate into his workmates' coffee at a photographic equipment factory at Bovingdon in Hertfordshire, England. He posed as a research chemist and bought the thallium from a chemical suppliers in London. Several workers were taken ill, and two died of the mysterious 'bug'. It was only when Young himself suggested to a visiting health expert that the cause might be thallium that the strange illness was correctly diagnosed... page 223
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