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Note: Makini Howell will talk about her journey and new book at Powell's City of Books on April 27 at 4 p.m. Grains, grains, grains. I have fallen... Continue »
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The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements

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The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements Cover

ISBN13: 9780316051637
ISBN10: 0316051632
Condition: Standard
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Staff Pick

Sam Kean proves that chemistry makes for great storytelling with this entertaining look at the human stories behind the elements found in the periodic table. A delightful history of science, The Disappearing Spoon makes for both an engaging and enlightening read.
Recommended by Michal D., Powells.com

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Why did Gandhi hate iodine (I, 53)? How did radium (Ra, 88) nearly ruin Marie Curie's reputation? And why is gallium (Ga, 31) the go-to element for laboratory pranksters?*

The Periodic Table is a crowning scientific achievement, but it's also a treasure trove of adventure, betrayal, and obsession. These fascinating tales follow every element on the table as they play out their parts in human history, and in the lives of the (frequently) mad scientists who discovered them. The Disappearing Spoon masterfully fuses science with the classic lore of invention, investigation, and discovery — from the Big Bang through the end of time.

*Though solid at room temperature, gallium is a moldable metal that melts at 84 degrees Fahrenheit. A classic science prank is to mold gallium spoons, serve them with tea, and watch guests recoil as their utensils disappear.

Book News Annotation:

Mere mention of the Periodic Table may cause science-challenged readers to turn a deaf ear, but Kean makes the abbreviated symbols come to life with witty and interesting stories about the role the elements play in our lives. It might have been easier to memorize the table if you knew such facts as Ga, 31 is gallium, named by a Frenchman Le Coq de Boisbaudran for France which means Gallia in Latin, and that he used it to make a teaspoon that would dissolve at 87 degrees Fahrenheit and melt in a teacup. No mineral, or metal, is left unturned in this lively historical perspective. Kean is a current writer for Science magazine. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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About the Author

Sam Kean spent years collecting mercury from broken thermometers as a kid, and now he is a writer in Washington, D.C. His work has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Mental Floss, Slate, Air & Space/Smithsonian, and New Scientist. In 2009 he was a runner-up for the National Association of Science Writers' Evert Clark/Seth Payne Award for best science writer under the age of thirty. He currently writes for Science and is a 2009-2010 Middlebury Environmental Journalism fellow.
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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 4 comments:
Lwaxana, January 1, 2013 (view all comments by Lwaxana)
I never thought I would love a book whose subject is the Periodic Table of the Elements. But this book is readable and funny and wise, and even a liberal-arts person like me can savor it. I learned quite a few things while having a wonderful time. Reading experiences don't get much better than that!
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Edna Mode, September 1, 2011 (view all comments by Edna Mode)
This is not chemistry as I've seen it taught in schools - though if more classes included stories, history and background information about the elements like this, it's more likely kids would enjoy chemistry and easily remember data. A fascinating and different approach, and a highly recommended book.
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annettelillyruss, August 4, 2011 (view all comments by annettelillyruss)
I learned more about chemistry by reading this book than I did when I studied it for a year! Why can't textbooks be this much fun?
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780316051637
Subtitle:
And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements
Author:
Kean, Sam
Publisher:
Back Bay Books
Binding:
TRADE PAPER
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The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements Used Trade Paper
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Product details pages Back Bay Books - English 9780316051637 Reviews:
"Staff Pick" by ,

Sam Kean proves that chemistry makes for great storytelling with this entertaining look at the human stories behind the elements found in the periodic table. A delightful history of science, The Disappearing Spoon makes for both an engaging and enlightening read.

by Michal D.
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