Product Description

What is it in chocolate that makes us feel good when we eat it? What's the molecule that turns men on? What's the secret of Coca-Cola? In this fascinating book, John Emsley takes us on a guided tour through a rogue's gallery of molecules, some harmful some pleasant, showing how they affect our lives. There are eight galleries in all, full of individual portraits on molecules that are to be found on a daily basis in the home, the environment, and in our bodiesDSfrom caffeine to teflon, nicotine to zinc. Find out how Mozart met his death, how Hitler could have saved the Third Reich from defeat, and many more interesting snippets in this highly entertaining, and often surprising book. 'A broad audience, regardless of whether it has a background in chemistry, will enjoy browsing and reading it.' Nature 'a fine example of popular science writing at its best. It is educational, interesting, may prove inspirational and therefore deserves to find a very wide readership.' THES 'highly readable and entertaining' New Scientist

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #100245 in Books
• Published on: 1999-10-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

THES
'a fine example of popular science writing at its best. It is educational, interesting, may prove inspirational and therefore deserves to find a very wide readership.'

Review
'A broad audience, regardless of whether it has a background in chemistry, will enjoy browsing and reading it.' Nature

popular science writing at its best. It is educational, interesting, may prove inspirational and..deserves to find a very wide readership (THES )

highly readable and entertaining (New Scientist )

THES
"popular science writing at its best. It is educational, interesting, may prove inspirational and..deserves to find a very wide readership"

Customer Reviews

Fascinating look at everyday materials.
Molecules might seem an unlikely topic for a popular work, but the author is one of those rare teachers who can breathe life into the most unpromising subject. This work is a guided tour through some of the most interesting materials on earth - or perhaps this is Emsley's art.
He has organized his subjects thematically in broad areas such as health, transport, and the environment, with eight galleries of a dozen portraits each. The history of each is traced, with information on its structure, origin, and its role in our world. Some substances, such as selenium, prove unexpectedly vital. Others, such as Sarin, the terrorists' nerve gas, began innocuously enough but have been adopted for evil purposes. Still others hold the key to the secret of chocolate, how Teflon sticks to pans, and possibly a clean, renewable fuel for the future. All are interesting.
The alchemy is Emsley's transmutation of chemistry into entertaining instruction.

(The "score" rating is an ineradicable feature of the page. This reviewer does not "score" books.)

Informative, well-written exploration of everyday chemicals
The title of this book could make it seem like a complicated, very technical book. However, within the first few pages, it is evident that this is not the case. The way it is written means that even complicated terms are thoroughly explained, and even those with next to no chemical knowledge can clearly understand and enjoy this book. Fantastic!

Molecules at an Exhibition by John Emsley
In my opinion, John Emsley is a fantastic writer. I have thoroughly enjoyed this read.
Anyone with a general interest in chemistry or even just science would enjoy this book; it is full of interesting facts.
A vast knowledge of chemistry is not needed, I am merely an A-level chemist myself!!
Read it and I hope you love it half as much as I have.