Product Description

In The Poison Paradox, toxicologist John Timbrell explores the dark side of chemistry - how the chemicals that we use and that occur all around us can often be beneficial and yet under other circumstances can become poisons. By examining a variety of cases, from tragic disasters such as Bhopal and Minamata Bay, to the plant fungus which led to the Salem witch trials, and the puffer fish which is at once deadly poisonous and prized as a delicacy, this book explores the science of poisons: the different ways in which they harm us, and how they may be counteracted. Timbrell emphasizes that poisons are part of the natural world: by understanding the science of the poisons that we might encounter by accident or design, we can assess what the real risks are, and learn to live with them safely.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #373997 in Books
• Published on: 2008-09-18
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 368 pages

The Times, July 2005
An excellent new book.

Review
An excellent introduction to the science of toxicology. (Paul O'Doherty, Irish Timesn )

Mark Henderson, The Times
"An excellent new book."

Customer Reviews

fascinating facts about poisons
I found this book really interesting. In fact I was amazed. I’d read so many things in magazines and papers about chemicals like dioxin and insecticides and just thought that they were all poisonous and dangerous. Then I read this book and found it wasn’t quite like that,because it depends on the amount and some of them are useful and make our lives better-like people now live longer and are healthier. The book also talks about how chemicals get inside us and what they do. Its explained really clearly, especially for someone like me who doesn’t have any scientific background. But there are also lots of interesting stories also about poisoning cases and historical stuff. Then at the end there is a section on risk from chemicals and how its measured, which was a bit complicated but really interesting. I’d recommend this book.

A fascinating book about the chemicals around us
This is a really fascinating book which is full of stories and information about chemicals and poisoning. I only have an O level in Biology and knew nothing about poisons or toxicology but I found the book very easy to read and it clearly explained how chemicals like drugs and things found in food get into the body and affect it and why the amount of chemical is important. Each chapter covers a different kind of chemical such as drugs, pesticides, substances in nature. There are lots of interesting historical stories and at the end there is a chapter on the risks from chemicals. It’s the sort of book you can dip into and always read something interesting anytime. Anybody who takes a drug or uses weedkiller or is just generally interested in science and the world around them should get this book
I bought this book after reading a review in the Times which is a good summary of the book.

Interesting, but not a great read
I read a lot. And I read a lot of science (being a physicist at heart). I was quite interested in this book from the cover, the publishers review and the possible content. However, I have to admit that I was disappointed.
It's well written, and informative, but didn't engage me. The start of the book is too lengthy in its explanation on how poisons enter and are dealt with by the body. Perhaps this was because it was telling me things I already knew, but I found it a little boring - in fact, I ended up skipping the first parts because of this, and straight into the main content.
This was not as interesting as I thought it would be either. Though full of information, there was no real data or facts. I expected each poison to be explained in chemical sense and then what it does to the body in detail (physical, mental, symptoms etc). I just didn't feel like there was enough.
My one pleasure was discovering there is arsenic in apple seeds, but it was literally one sentence. Meanwhile I've stopped eating the pips now (20 years too late, maybe!!).
This book is okay, and is good in the popular science areana, but for anyone looking for detail and interest....I think we need to go elsewhere.