Although the librarian when I returned this book seemed skeptical about its merits, and although it took me all of 6 weeks to read, I can say that now that I've finished reading it, it was brilliant and exhausting all at once! It was fascinating to hear the stories behind all the elements, much like the enjoyment I felt watching the PBS series on the history of a Cold. With the television program, I had no idea that it was so hard to design a working thermometer, something we now take for granted. With this, I didn't know it was so challenging to fill in all those little squares on the Periodic Table!
Kean has a unique gift as a writer. He can write a story about Chemistry, my least favorite subject in high school, and make me read for over 350 pages, including all the foot notes! From Tycho Brahe to Linus Pauling, Kean has the ability to humanize scientists, to make them not only geniuses of the first order, but also incredibly fragile and fallible human beings. I feel much richer for having read this book, although it isn't something for the late-night reader who doesn't know much about the topic. Certain topics, like the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, are best when handled when the brain is fresh and receptive to new concepts. A fascinating but difficult journey through the history of the Periodic Table that I'm glad I took. Fans of "The Big Bang" will enjoy this as well, because it has the same balance of humor and knowledge.
Submitted by Gerti
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