The Elements: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions) | 
| Author: Philip Ball
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Category: Book
List Price: $11.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  1 reviews
Sales Rank: 216508
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 186
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 6.6 x 4.3 x 0.6
ISBN: 0192840991
Dewey Decimal Number: 546
EAN: 9780192840998
ASIN: 0192840991
Publication Date: October 7, 2004
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Product Description
This Very Short Introduction is an exciting and non-traditional approach to understanding the terminology, properties, and classification of chemical elements. It traces the history and cultural impact of the elements on humankind, and examines why people have long sought to identify the substances around them. The book includes chapters on particular elements such as gold, iron, and oxygen, showing how they shaped culture and technology. Looking beyond the Periodic Table, the author examines our relationship with matter, from the uncomplicated vision of the Greek philosophers, who believed there were four elements--earth, air, fire, and water--to the work of modern-day scientists in creating elements such as hassium and meitnerium. Packed with anecdotes, The Elements is a highly engaging and entertaining exploration of the fundamental question: what is the world made from?
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| Customer Reviews:
The elements of elements October 2, 2005
11 out of 12 found this review helpful
If you are familiar with this series, you will not be surprised to learn that this book is not a conventional tour of the periodic table. In fact, the table does not make an appearance until half way through. Part of what the author does is to illustrate the impact of Earth's elements on human history. The stories of oxygen and gold are singled out for particular attention. This is not the book you need for a first chemistry course. It is what you need to get you enthused about the subject, to help you appreciate what an exciting and significant discipline it can be.
This fine series is slightly marred by a tendency to typographic error. This book is no exception, and you will struggle to make sense of figure 15(b). Oddly, in the list of figures at the front, there is a request that readers notify the publishers of errors in the list. I don't think I've seen anything quite like that in any book before. It suggests that they realize they have a proofreading problem. Instead of asking readers to be on the alert, wouldn't it be better just to have a word with the printer?
At 179 pages, this is one of the longer entries in the series, and every page glows with the author's enthusiasm for his subject. It adopts a rambling, somewhat unstructured approach but is packed full of fascinating historical and scientific detail. And yes, when the author does finally get around to the periodic table, he gives as good an explanation of it as you will find anywhere.
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