I don't need another reason to be considered a nerd. Heaven knows I've got that vibe going strong without any help. This post and what it says about me will not help my case for "smooth, cool, Friday night date material" but I can't help myself….
I've gone through a fair number of books in the last year, several that I really liked. Some fun fiction/fantasy, some notable history/biography, some true crime, some science, etc. Nothing captured my interest, nostalgia and brain-juices more than "The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements" did.
This book hit my radar when I was flying out of San Antonio for a wedding sometime around August. A friend of mine who I happened to cross paths with in the airport was just starting this book. At my next opportunity I got my hands on it and pretty much devoured.
In a bit of an esoteric genera that I’ve learned that I really like (science books written by scientists for a non-science audience), this book goes through each element on the periodic table and gives a history and synopsis of it’s discovery, uses and most interestingly some of the stories and scandals associated with each element. Who knew that Mendeleev's creation could be so interesting!?!
Despite majoring in chemistry as an undergraduate, there were facts and descriptions of science that were eye-opening to me. Things that had always been mysterious (probably because textbooks and professors do not always do a good job at teaching these topics) were clarified. Because this book was written for non-scientists there was no assumptions made by the author that certain principles were already well understood and so concepts were put into historical and scientific context that is often neglected in the university classroom setting. I loved that it often felt like a novel yet increased my knowledge and understanding of a topic I have a passion for.
Again, what making this my “book of the year” says about me is probably not flattering, but for anyone looking for something that is deeper than just brain candy and yet manages to be a fun read at the same time, this books is highly recommended!
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