1. Peppers, Nutmeg, and Cloves 2. Ascorbic Acid 3. Glucose 4. Cellulose 5. Nitro Compounds 6. Silk and Nylon 7. Phenol 8. Isoprene 9. Dyes 10. Wonder Drugs 11. The Pill 12. Molecules of Witchcraft 13. Morphine, Nicotine, and Caffeine 14. Oleic Acid 15. Salt 16. Chlorocarbon Compounds 17. Molecules versus Malaria
Now, I happened to (mostly) enjoy my time spent in the trenches of orgo, so I'm looking forward to reading this book.
Post-reading: this is fantastic. There's often been too much separation between hard science and 'real life', as it were, and this book blends the two beautifully in illustrating chemistry's role in historical happenings. Chemistry is far more than just those reactions and diagrams we learned by rote and weren't applied to much except exams. This book breathes life into these molecules, integrates them into a bigger picture in a way I found extremely pleasing. My only wish is that there were more than seventeen molecules covered.
Also, forget about the buttons. They're an introductory anecdote, and there's so much more to this book than that.
If you like Organic chemistry like i do, have a short attention span like i do, and have a passing interest in the economic, political, and cultural histories of textiles, dyes, and pharmaceuticals - you too may enjoy this nicely written non fiction work
This book would fit well in an introduction to chemistry class. I'd recommend it for teenagers who want to learn some chemistry before taking a class in high school. Here are a few interesting tidbits from the book:
Is it possible that the buttons on Napolean's troops' jackets moving into Russia disintegrated in the cold? Maybe. But it was also a stupid military move.
People hung nutmeg around the neck to ward off bubonic plague. It may have warded off fleas.
Ships were manned above capacity to take into account the loss of sailors to scurvy. As many as 30 to 50 percent would die. The officers were more likely to eat fruits and vegetables, so avoided scurvy. The sailors wanted meat.
Vitamin C got its name because it was the 3rd vitamin identified. Mistakes were made, so we have all the B vitamin numbers.
High doses of vitamin C are not necessary. Better to have C at different times of day.
Scott's men had scurvy trying to reach the South Pole. Thus they were weak at the end and surrendered to death. Amundsen ate foods that protected against scurvy.
Brazilian slave ships had over 500 men in a room of nine hundred square feet and three feet high.
The water used to manufacture gunpowder was often urine of the workers. A heavy wine drinker was believed to produce potent gunpowder. Same with a clergyman, even better was a bishop.
Fritz Haber won the 1918 Nobel Prize for chemistry. It aroused protest because Haber played a significant role in Germany's poison gas program in WWI. He didn't see it as any different than any other way of dying in war. He did have the courage to refuse to fire Jews in his factory.
Many elephants were killed for ivory to make billiard balls.
Charles Goodyear made minimal money on his rubber efforts, but those he sold the rights to became wealthy. He actually spent much time in debtor's prison.
Whole villages hid from the Belgians who wanted them to harvest rubber. Those who didn't do enough harvesting had their hands cut off.
Not sure why the author fails to mention the Vietnam War when he discusses rubber plantations in Southeast Asia.
Mythology credits the discovery of Tyrian purple to the dog of Hercules. Its mouth stained a deep purple after it crunched on some shellfish. The Phoenicians needed some 9,000 shellfish to produce one gram of Tyrian purple. The creature almost became extinct.
Alexander the Great dyed his soldiers uniforms red to pretend to be injured. They could then surprise the Persian army.
The largest saltpan in the world is in Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia where tourists can stay in a hotel made entirely of salt. Just be careful when you say, "Pass the salt, please."
I have a degree in chemistry and I love to read about chemistry and the history of chemistry. I was so excited when I heard about this book! Unfortunately, it was a huge disappointment for me.
Let me start by saying that this book is NOT the story of how 17 molecules changed history. A simple look at the chapter titles will tell you that: 1. Peppers, Nutmeg, and Cloves 2. Ascorbic Acid 3. Glucose 4. Cellulose 5. Nitro Compounds 6. Silk and Nylon 7. Phenol 8. Isoprene 9. Dyes 10. Wonder Drugs 11. The Pill 12. Molecules of Witchcraft 13. Morphine, Nicotine, and Caffeine 14. Oleic Acid 15. Salt 16. Chlorocarbon Compounds 17. Molecules Versus Malaria
The authors admit, in their introduction, that most of the book is about groups of molecules rather than specific molecules. I figured maybe this wasn't such a big deal, so I decided to try reading it anyway.
I read the first 5 chapters (about 100 pages) and was just bored with it. The story about Napoleon's Buttons was conveyed in the introduction, and none of the other stories were even close to interesting. The chapters focused primarily on the *development* of the molecules themselves and, while the authors were careful to make their point that the molecule(s) did in fact change history, the stories they told to support that claim were flat, underdeveloped, and uninteresting.
Here is an example of what seemed to be a typical chapter, the chapter about glucose:
First, one quickly discovers that even some of the chapters named for a single molecule turn into a discussion of related molecules. That is true for this chapter. Besides the fact that a large portion of the chapter is devoted to topics such as "Sweet Chemistry" (which necessarily involves molecules besides glucose,) it only took the authors two paragraphs to start discussing sucrose. They give precedence to glucose, however, because it is a component of sucrose... even though the two are technically different molecules.
Among other things, they go on to discuss the slave-supported sugar industry (which would have been the sugar called sucrose) and how that industry changed the world. The idea, at the end of the chapter is this: we eat a lot of sugar, we have a lot of health problems because of sugar, it is a commodity that greatly affects economies around the world, it has (and does) relied on slave labor for its production: So, as you can clearly see, it has changed history.
Really? How many things can we NOT make such general statements about?
Non-fiction exploration of scientific elements which had an effect on life throughout the history of man.
Writers searching for conflict to use in their stories may well want to buy this volume for the multitude of possibilities.
My Take This was excellent. Couteur/Burreson beautifully provided a look at how history was affected along with an examination of the actual molecules---and I do mean a microscopic look at the molecule! I'm a history geek so I adored that side and, it's saying something, when the authors can provide the science side well enough that I enjoyed it (since I really hate science!).
The first part of each chapter begins with a look at how the chemical affected or could have affected history while the second part analyzes the molecule making up the chemical. Of course, each chapter may veer off, depending upon the story behind the chemical's evolution.
Overall, the authors look at how the creation/discovery/need of each chemical affected the world: "...tell[ing] the stories of the fascinating connections between chemical structures and historical episodes."
The effect of tin on Roman expansion and the defeat of Napoleon's soldiers. Consider the reasons why Columbus sailed the ocean blue in search of a faster route for spices; and, the authors provide a variety of reasons why nutmeg and pepper was so highly valued. Breaking it down to the isoeugenol and its benefits.
Yes, the title mentions seventeen molecules, but each is simply a category heading for a great range of variations on that particular molecule. For example, Peppers, Nutmeg, and Cloves are classed under piperine and encompasses paprika, chili peppers, peppercorns, and ginger. Consider the rise of the Dutch and British East India Companies with their focus on spice and their forced colonization of so many nations. The truth of how Manhattan became an English colony. Malaria and how it forced a genetic evolution around the Mediterranean, Africa, and the Middle East which was a contributing factor that led to the slave trade. Consider the effect of gunpowder in both destruction and construction as well as how it affected travel! Then there's nitro compounds: explosives, sunscreen, Viagra and other medications, and Alfred Nobel and his Nobel Prize. The development of ammonia and its uses in man-made fertilizer...and the gases used in World War I.
Just reading about the effects of scurvy and how different seafarers/countries dealt with it. How it almost ended the Age of Discovery begun by the search for spices. Think of the movie Master and Commander and the repartee over "the lesser of the two weevils"! One of the reasons why Cook was so successful! And how different it could have been if the Dutch had discovered how to prevent scurvy before the British.
If you're fascinated with how things work or how they're discovered, you'll be thrilled with this book. Sch枚nbein certainly got a bang out of it when he discovered guncotton. A chemical that led to photography and the movie industry, rayon, and cellophane as well as the Industrial Revolution and the American Civil War. Consider the effects of the Industrial Revolution on rural depopulation, the rise of the factory and inventions along with social change.
I also enjoyed how the authors slid from one chapter to the next. The subject of the previous chapter leading into the next. You'd never expect a connection between gunpowder and silk! Nor expect that silk was an important aspect of the Renaissance. I loved the molecular explanation of silk as it explained why silk is so highly valued.
Readers interested in medicine will adore the history and evolution of the medical field. Most people are aware of Louis Pasteur and his contribution, Jenner and his vaccine, but there is also Lister's carbolic acid and the benefits of coal tar and how it led to the antiseptic operating room. The molecular analysis for these phenols lead to vanillin, capsaicin, zingerone, explosives, chocolate, perfume, marijuana, Bakelite, and so much more! Elephants certainly have reason to be grateful!
LOL, I'm only halfway through my notes...! You'll just hafta read this one. It's worth it.
There's the rise of the German pharmaceutical empire, how synthesizing a dye led to the creation of synthetic organic chemistry---where would Bayer be without Perkin!
If you're curious about life at all, you want to read Napoleon's Buttons. I highly recommend it! It's a buy for me if only for its possibilities for conflicts for a book series I'm working on!
The Cover The cover is a blend of two areas of study: history with the cropped portrait of Napoleon in his 19th century study with the marble-like structure of atoms above representing the science.
The title is more of an enticement than truth as the authors use the raw materials in Napoleon's Buttons to speculate and lure the reader in.
Did the Russians defeat Napoleon because the French army's tin buttons decomposed in the cold Russian winter? It's hard to fight when you're having to hold your pants up and your coats closed.
"Napoleon's Buttons" had the potential to be a most interesting book, covering discoveries of new materials, chemicals, and medicines over the past several hundred years. Examples of topics covered include: --- How European demand for the spice molecule piperine (the basic molecule of pepper) not only fueled early exploration, but also inspired the practice of buying and selling shares in the modern stock market. --- How a minor housecleaning mishap and an exploding cotton apron led to the development of modern explosive and contributed to the photography and movie industries. --- Why isoeugenol is the reason people who live in Manhattan can call themselves New Yorkers instead of New Amsterdamers.
But as the book's subtitle indicates, the stories get down to real details of the molecules. And unfortunately for me, since I listened to the book in audiobook format, the verbal descriptions of the chemical compounds, and detailing how the carbon, oxygen, hydrogen atoms are bonded to each other was hard to visualize, and my mind quickly drifted.
For example, in one section on Polysaccharides, the author writes: Though we lack the enzyme that breaks down a beta linkage, we do have a digestive enzyme that splits an alpha linkage. The alpha configuration is found in the storage polysaccharides, starch and glycogen. One of our major dietary sources of glucose, starch is found in roots, tubers, and seeds of many plants. It consists of two slightly different polysaccharide molecules, both polymers of alpha-glucose units. Twenty to thirty percent of starch is made up of amylose, an unbranched chain of several thousand glucose units joined between carbon number 4 on one glucose and carbon number 1 on the next glucose. The only difference between and cellulose is that in amylose the linkages are alpha and in cellulose they are beta. But the roles played by cellulose and amylose polysaccharides are vastly different. Amylopectin forms the remaining 70 to 80 percent of starch. It also consists of long chains of alpha-glucose units joined between carbons number 1 and number 4, but amylopectin is a branched molecule with cross linkages, between the carbon number 1 of one glucose unit and carbon number 6 of another glucose unit, occurring every twenty to twenty-five glucose units. The presence of up to a million glucose units in interconnecting chains makes amylopectin one of the largest molecules found in nature.
To be fair, diagrams of these long chained molecules are shown in the book, which can aid in understanding the text, but you're on your own when listening to the book without the visuals, it's hard to follow.
So clearly, the format, audiobook vs. print, played a part in my loss of attention. However, on the positive side, I found that by listening to the book as I went to bed ended up being an excellent way to fall asleep. As the reader droned on, I rarely stayed awake for longer than 60 seconds. Therefore, unless you have a true passion for chemistry, I found this book, in audiobook format, would be welcomed by insomniacs, but few others.
Ok. I am not a science geek (science was the subject I was least interested in during childhood) but this book is awesome! Probably because it has more to do with the history of science than science itself. Ha, ha!
I loved the concept and execution of this book! Each chapter focuses on a specific noteworthy molecule, and sometimes a closely related molecule (for instance, did you know that the development of synthetic dyes lead to the discovery of pharmaceuticals?), and follows their discovery, development and induction into common use. You learn a lot of crazy fascinating facts, hear some interesting theories (like the buttons worn by Napoleon鈥檚 soldiers) and some odd legends. I appreciated that the authors made these distinctions and didn鈥檛 try to pass everything off as fact.
This book was so fascinating, and while the authors did delve a smidge into basic chemistry and each chapter鈥檚 molecule, providing a breakdown of its components, arrangement, bond type etc., I did not find it over the top. I did listen, rather than read this book, and as a result, I had a little harder time picturing the various molecules, so I plan on getting an actual copy and reading it again sometime. I also plan on having my kids read it when they鈥檙e older (perhaps late high school).
I highly recommend this book!
Cleanliness: there is an entire chapter on 鈥渢he pill鈥�, so various words/terms related to this topic are used - handled clinically and not crudely. Another chapter explores 鈥渨itchcraft鈥�/the superstitions of medieval times, giving plausible reasons for what fed into the fears of the time - some sexual and drug related terms in this chapter too. Another chapter explorers narcotics so some drug/smoking use is clinically described.
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Well, nice ideas and would-beens and a bunch of maybes over the history based on many different elements and molecules and whatnot.
What I've had a problem with was when the book was getting all technical and shit. When they'd mention a bunch of scientific shit that I have no clue about and really get into it with it all the while I cannot follow, and I eventually have to turn to Google to tell me what's what and whatnot.
Also, me being me, I was searching a bunch of historical moments mentioned and well, even though it would left me amazed if something happened because of something simple based on science back in the days (like Napoleon losing the war because of loose buttons on every soldier for example) well, yeah.. most of my searches were like proven wrong or false and that there was no way for something like that to happen. But hey, I think half of them were at least plausible to happen or to have happened.
Overall it was too much for me and were kinda bored half the time, not too engaging, but I'm sure lots of people who are more into this shit would like it better.
Great little history of chemistry book. Loved the relating chemical discoveries to the changing of the world鈥檚 path. Would recommend for anyone who likes science and history!
Napoleon鈥檚 Buttons was recommended to me by an organic chemistry professor at work. Chemistry-wise, it is a pretty interesting analysis on a few different chemicals that have played large roles in history.
However, I almost DNFed this book and finished only out of sheer stubbornness. Many of these chemicals were part of spices in European trade routes, all of which come at the expense of former African slaves. The way it was framed spoke to the economic growth of the European spice trade, acknowledging that slaves contributed to this, but not that this is bad. It鈥檚 very subtle, as I think the authors鈥� intention was to provide an unbiased factual retelling, but I don鈥檛 think we can actually talk about this in an unbiased manner. Doing so implies that we think nothing is wrong with the history of the slave trade.
Another example is how the book framed the Opium War in stating that China wanted opium. The Chinese side of the story is that the British forced opium onto them because they wanted to trade, but China didn鈥檛 want anything from the British. I don鈥檛 know what actually happened between the two sides of this story, but I think we need to acknowledge that both exist.
If we don鈥檛 point out what is wrong with these narratives, it writes a white narrative we subconsciously absorb. This is white supremacy at work.
I write this review because I feel like this needs to be pointed out. Representation and revised diverse framing of history needs to show in all of our education, not just in diverse reads. Even the prof I mentioned earlier probably did not realize this, because Eurocentric teaching is so immersive. However, to make progressive changes in society, we must rewrite and reframe education in all subjects.
People often tell me that science is factual and unbiased, and while I agree that our research results and findings are what they are, the way we frame it and what we decide is important to research is influenced by our politics and IS very biased. We must acknowledge that.
This books takes a somewhat disjointed ride through how seventeen loosely defined classes of molecules changed world history.
I was intrigued by the book's premise - not to describe the history of chemistry, but rather to reveal the chemistry of history. The book does an admirable job of assembling anecdotes of interesting molecules that have affected our world. Unfortunately, the structure of the book is a bit disjointed, the tone is uneven, and the numerous stories could use either some additional background or some helpful editing.
While I am uncertain about the background of the authors, it did feel like the book could benefit from the help of a bona fide historian who could help place events more objectively into historical context. Also, I would have preferred footnotes on each page instead of only a bibliography at the end of the book.
The chapters are as follows: 1. Peppers, Nutmeg and Cloves (the spice trade, and world travel) 2. Ascorbic Acid (preventing scurvy) 3. Glucose (slavery and sugar cultivation, artificial sweeteners) 4. Cellulose (cotton/industrial revolution, guncotton) 5. Nitro Compounds (explosives, Roger Bacon/gunpowder, Alfred Nobel, Fritz Haber) 6. Silk and Nylon (silkworm, Wallace Carothers) 7. Phenol (antiseptic, THC, plastics, bakelite, lignin) 8. Isoprene (rubber, Charles Goodyear, stretchiness, gum, synthetic rubber) 9. Dyes (German dye companies) 10. Wonder Drugs (aspirin, sulfa drugs, penicillins) 11. The Pill (steroids, Russell Marker, Carl Djerassi) 12. Molecules of Witchcraft (strychnine, hyoscine, LSD) 13. Morphine, Nicotine, and Caffeine (Opium Wars) 14. Oleic Acid (Olive oil, trans/cis, unsaturated/saturated, soap) 15. Salt (purification, trade, structure, tax, physiology) 16. Chlorocarbon Compounds (refrigeration, CFCs, pesticides, anesthesia) 17. Molecules versus Malaria (synthesis of quinine)
Napoleon's Buttons: 17 molecules that changed history Penn7 Le Couteur & Jay Burresbon copyright: 2003 pages: 376
Ohhh, so that's why that happened!
I had a lot of those moments as I read the little details that huge events turned on; yes, even when they were chemistry related.
The book talked about the chemical history of silk and nylon, of certain spices, and the witch trials. AND, it flowed easily and managed to keep the technical jargon to a minimum. That made the information presented accessible and understandable for someone like me鈥攁 nonchemist. BUT, there was enough science for the info presented to be credible. If you need more, the authors provided pages of their "selected bibliography" at the back of the book.
I found it an entertaining and thought-provoking look at chemical compounds and the roles they played in historical events; e.g., the O-ring failure on the NASA space shuttle and some other unintended consequences relating to the chemical properties of materials.
Some might be put off because the title story is only about 2 pages of the intro and because it comes with the authors' admission that the theory of Napoleon's buttons being his army's downfall is of doubtful authenticity. BUT, those buttons are a metaphor for the power of chemical compounds to affect the fates of civilizations. After reading the book, most people will understand that.
What drew me to the book, recommended to me by Max H. (Richard Wolfe), was one of the stories he put into a reader's digest version: Sooo, "there are claims the first olive tree grew on top of Adam's grave." Who knew? I didn't. Anyway, "it subsequently became so important to the growth of civilizations in the Mediterranean that the authors confidently wrote that without oleic acid Western civilization and democracy might has followed a different path...a VERY different path."
this book is about more than science; there's history here, too. For example, the decline of the Roman Empire, the discovery of America, and the riots of the French Revolution; that's just a few of a host of historical events profoundly touched by one molecule or another. And there is also the fun "could-be" stories. I liked the one about the dinosaurs' inability to detect the bitter taste of alkaloid poisons in new flowering plants ... that may have helped lead to their extinction.
This is one of those books you can read a story and then set it down and read something else before coming back and reading another fascinating story/account.
If you love learning about chemistry through a historical lens, this is an interesting book. One caveat is that this book takes a very colonialist perspective to history.
My favorite chapter was on the chemical compounds partially responsible for the Salem witch trials.
The title of this book may put some readers off but for those that like looking at history as more than just a bunch of dates and dead people, it is a fascinating read.
The title comes from speculation that the tin buttons used by the French army may have decomposed as result from exposure to bitter cold during the Invasion of Russia. When Napoleon's Buttons (or at least those of his army) crumbled, the soldiers could not keep their coats closed and thus were further exposed to the weather. By looking other similar events and developements, the author demonstrates and speculates on how some basic chemicals and chemisty have or may have altered history.
It is not a chemistry book, but some knowledge of chemistry is helpful But even without that knowledge (and I am not a chemist other than chemistry that involves ethyl alcohol), the reader can understand why certain compounds, chemicals, and elements enfluenced events through time.
I found it very interesting and even entertaining.
This book was great! Every chapter had tons of little interesting nuggets of information. I loved that it鈥檚 as much history as it is science; just gives so much interesting context! Also fascinated by anecdotes similar to the Napoleon鈥檚 buttons premise, where one tiny little detail changed the course of history.
This book really made me appreciate just how much research and figuring out has taken place in like every single area of modern life that I interact with. People had to discover, and then exhaustively fiddle with, so many little details along the way to create all the aspects of current technologies and understanding.
La chimica della storia. Il libro descrive come alcune molecole (gruppi di molecole in realt脿) hanno influenzato eventi o dinamiche determinanti (in positivo e in negativo, spesso in entrambi i modi contemporaneamente) nella storia dell'uomo. Un approccio molto interessante. Sebbene molte dinamiche storiche qui descritte siano ben conosciute, e per quel che mi riguarda, essendo laureata in chimica, anche molte molecole, il modo in cui si intrecciano 猫 descritto in maniera coinvolgente. Magari a volte pu貌 sembrare un po' forzato per貌 ci sta comunque. Consigliato soprattutto a chi di chimica non sa molto ma gli interessa. Meno consigliato a chi vuole un approccio un po' pi霉 "sentito" alla storia, perch茅 magari a volte parla di alcuni argomenti sensibili (tipo tutti i primi capitoli sulla schiavit霉) nella quasi assoluta neutralit脿 (dico quasi perch茅 comunque se un evento 猫 considerato terribile, la parola terribile 猫 utilizzata, semplicemente non si sofferma poi troppo sull'aspetto etico ma pi霉 che altro sui fatti)
Maybe a 3.5 stars is closer to the mark for me, but still a very enjoyable and highly educational read. The historical speculations were often a little silly, especially the title itself and supposed role of tin decay in causing the downfall of la Grand Armee in 1812. Borodino, Kutuzov and Napoleon's own decisions seem slightly more consequential. But the tenet of tying the role of key molecules and their compounds to key moments and changes in human civilization is often undeniable and the details are generally fascinating. I won't expose my general ignorance of many aspects of chemistry and other reviews have listed the key molecules discussed in each chapter so will not do it here. The book is actually older than I realized (2004) and just briefly touches on the impending revolution in genetic engineering and its massive implications. I suppose a few books have already wandered down some of those byways.
It is a personal milestone for me to have finally read this book. One of my college professors was the one to recommend the book to me. And it reminded me of another professor of mine, who taught a course that was more technical, but he would stop and tell stories like this book of chemicals in the 鈥渞eal world鈥�.
This book examines the history of different molecules and the social and economic impacts of these molecules have had on the world stage.
There were certainly some interesting stories in there and there is a level of humour to some of the tales which makes it a fairly light read. I must admit though, my eyes did start to glaze over during the discussions around the differences between chemical make up of the compounds.
Definitely not a fast read but it was vv interesting and linked the science to historical context well. Did in fact take me two months to finish bc I never read more than a chapter at a time bc it鈥檚 pretty dense but all the content is worthwhile so still a high rating.
I read this book a while ago so I would have to re-read it at this point to provide greater detail, but do recall having enjoyed it and learning a lot about how chemistry affected the fate of the Napoleonic Wars in Russia in the early 19th century.
Davvero bello! Le semplici spiegazioni di chimica permettono di capire come determinate scoperte abbiano segnato il corso della storia e l鈥檃spetto della nostra societ脿
D眉nya tarihini, kimyasal molek眉llerin ke艧if s眉reci ve bu ke艧iflerin sa臒lad谋臒谋 a莽谋l谋mlar ekseninde anlatan 莽ok zengin i莽erikli, de臒erli bir kitap. Kitapta dedi臒ine g枚re, Napolyon'un 1812'deki Rusya seferinin ba艧ar谋s谋zl谋臒谋n谋n sebebi muhtemelen, Frans谋z askerlerinin d眉臒melerinin kalaydan yap谋lm谋艧 olmas谋. 脟眉nk眉 kalay, yap谋s谋 gere臒i Rusya k谋艧谋n谋n so臒uklar谋nda ufalanm谋艧 ve tek elleriyle pantolonlar谋n谋 tutmak zorunda kalan Frans谋z askerlerinin sava艧mas谋 pek m眉mk眉n olmam谋艧. 600 bin ki艧ilik ordudan geriye 10 bin askerin kalmas谋n谋n sebeplerinden biri bu. Tabii kitapta 莽ok daha fazlas谋 var. 脰rne臒in, C vitaminin diyetteki 枚neminin ke艧finin, deniz a艧谋r谋 uzak mesafelere seyahati m眉mk眉n k谋lmas谋 ve bunun Amerika'n谋n ke艧fine imkan vermesi gibi. Ya da, ipek neden yumu艧ak ve parlakt谋r? Sabun nas谋l temizler? Orta莽a臒da cad谋l谋kla itham edilenler kendileri de cad谋 olduklar谋na inan谋yor muydu ve neden? Azot ve oksijenin birbirine ba臒l谋 oldu臒u bile艧ikler neden patlay谋c谋d谋r? 陌nsanlar谋n 艧eker zaaf谋 Afrikal谋 insanlar谋n kaderini nas谋l de臒i艧tirmi艧? Kitab谋n sayfalar谋n谋 kar谋艧t谋r谋nca kompleks kimyasal form眉llerle kar艧谋la艧谋yoruz ama form眉llerin verili艧 amac谋 莽o臒unlukla, benzer molek眉llerdeki ufak de臒i艧imlerin tamamen ba艧ka 枚zelliklere sebep oldu臒unun alt谋n谋 莽izmek. Fark edip okudu臒um i莽in 艧ansl谋 hissediyorum. Te艧ekk眉rler goodreads! :)
On one level, fascinating. It is about scientific discovery of molecules, the search to synthesize, and the properties that make certain substances extremely valuable and useful.
Thus, for example, the probing and understanding the value of absorbic acid (vitamin C) and how it works on the human body. Its discovery and value stemmed from the debilitating and deadly presence of scurvy - the nemesis of sailors - and its use removed one of the challenges of exploration.
Napolean's army lost reliable winter wear during the march into Russia during 1812, because buttons for overcoats were made from tin. Tin degrades in cold weather ... etc.
The list of molecules goes on. Nitrogen and its various molecular forms is the basis for gunpowder and viagra (for example.) Then there's cellulose, glucose, isoprene (the elasticity that allows tires, and seals), along with wonder drugs such as penicillin, and the molecular dynamics behind "the pill."
As I said fascinating, and YET, it is a nerdy book. What the world looks like through the eyes of the chemist...
鈥楴apoleon鈥檚 Buttons鈥� bills itself as a history book about how certain molecules, such as the tin molecules in the buttons of the Grande Armee鈥檚 uniforms, have had outsized impact on world history.
That鈥檚 an honest description, if incomplete. It may be more accurate to say that this is a history book for chemists, as opposed to chemistry book for historians. 鈥楴apoleon鈥檚 Buttons鈥� gets in the weeds of the chemical makeups of various molecules that have influenced history, perhaps too much so for the general reader. The chemist, or at least the general reader with a better memory of college chemistry than I, will probably love this book. It speaks the chemist鈥檚 language, and it arms the chemist with lots of great tales with which to wow those attractive history professors at the next faculty mixer.
Is this book for you? Let鈥檚 see: do you like chemistry and history, maybe chemistry a little more than history? If so, yes. If not, well, it鈥檒l still arm you with plenty of entertaining stories for that next faculty mixer. Those History Department cuties will eat 鈥榚m right up.
Overall the strengths of this book lie in the explanation of the chemistry, and not in the account of history. I cannot disagree that the molecules chosen by the authors have greatly impacted history, but at times they appeared to stretch to make them seem more important. Two small things stood out from the historical perspective that occasionally made me put the book down and walk away for awhile: first, the authors regularly made unsupported hypotheses about how theoretical changes would have had a defined major, world-altering effect on history (a change may have occurred, but no one could specifically predict what); and second, there seems to be a critical misunderstanding of what the term "life-expectancy" means to a historian (it does NOT mean that the majority of the population were expected to die at a particular age, but is an average that can be highly skewed by childhood mortalities, war, etc.).
Ho apprezzato tantissimo questo libro perch茅 猫 un intreccio di storia e scienza. Non 猫 necessario avere conoscenze di chimica per apprezzarne i contenuti, anzi, 猫 possibile tralasciare le parti troppo complesse (poche) se non risultano chiare. Quel che pi霉 猫 interessante 猫 l鈥檃pprofondimento storico relativo alle molecole presentate: effettivamente sono state tutte fondamentali per giungere alla societ脿 in cui viviamo ora, ma nessuno di noi 猫 pienamente consapevole dell鈥檌mportanza che ha rivestito la loro scoperta, a causa della mancanza di formazione scolastica inerente questi argomenti. Alcuni dei temi trattati: spezie, sale, antibiotici, coloranti, seta, esplosivi, derivati del cloro, vitamina C, alcaloidi etc.. tutti i capitoli sono estremamente interessanti, assolutamente consigliato.