The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements
Who Would Like This Book:
If you ever stared at the periodic table in school and wondered what secrets and stories it held, this book is your backstage pass. Sam Kean brings the elements to life with quirky anecdotes, scientific scandals, and surprising tidbits about everything from Nobel Prize drama to deadly poisons and mind-blowing discoveries. It’s a lively mix of history, personality-driven storytelling, and accessible science. Science enthusiasts, lifelong learners, trivia fans, and anyone who loves a good story behind a strange fact will find it delightful. Even if chemistry wasn’t your favorite subject, you might just fall in love with it after these tales.
Who May Not Like This Book:
This isn’t for everyone. If you crave a super orderly, technical textbook or you’d rather skip the historical gossip and stick to pure science, the chatty style and anecdotal approach might feel scattered or superficial. Some readers have found the organization confusing, the explanations a bit shaky, and the analogies occasionally overdone or misleading. If you want a tightly focused deep dive into chemistry concepts (or get annoyed by lack of citations), you might get frustrated. And yes, the humor and offbeat metaphors won’t click with every reader.
About:
'The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements' by Sam Kean is a collection of odd and interesting stories about the various elements and the men and women who discovered them. It delves into the history of the periodic table, discussing the impact of elements on history and showcasing the lives of the scientists behind their discoveries. The writing style is described as informative, enjoyable, and accessible, with anecdotes about chemists and their contributions to science.
Throughout the book, the author, Sam Kean, recounts the stories behind the elements, their behaviors, and answers intriguing questions related to them. The narrative covers a wide range of topics, including the discoveries of elements, the impact of elements on society, and the connections among different elements and scientists. is praised for its ability to make the periodic table come alive, presenting science in a fun and engaging manner that appeals to both science enthusiasts and non-science readers alike.
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From The Publisher:
From New York Times bestselling author Sam Kean comes incredible stories of science, history, finance, mythology, the arts, medicine, and more, as told by the Periodic Table.
Why did Gandhi hate iodine (I, 53)? How did radium (Ra, 88) nearly ruin Marie Curie's reputation? And why is gallium (Ga, 31) the go-to element for laboratory pranksters?
The Periodic Table is a crowning scientific achievement, but it's also a treasure trove of adventure, betrayal, and obsession. These fascinating tales follow every element on the table as they play out their parts in human history, and in the lives of the (frequently) mad scientists who discovered them. The Disappearing Spoon masterfully fuses science with the classic lore of invention, investigation, and discovery - from the Big Bang through the end of time.
Though solid at room temperature, gallium is a moldable metal that melts at 84 degrees Fahrenheit. A classic science prank is to mold gallium spoons, serve them with tea, and watch guests recoil as their utensils disappear.
Ratings (32)
Incredible (2) | |
Loved It (16) | |
Liked It (5) | |
It Was OK (7) | |
Did Not Like (1) | |
Hated It (1) |
Reader Stats (100):
Read It (30) | |
Want To Read (50) | |
Did Not Finish (4) | |
Not Interested (16) |
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About the Author:
Sam Kean is the New York Times bestselling author of Caesar's Last Breath, The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons, The Disappearing Spoon, and The Violinist's Thumb, all of which were also named Amazon top science books of the year.
The Disappearing Spoon was a runner-up for the Royal Society of London's book of the year for 2010, and The Violinist's Thumb and The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons were nominated for the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award in 2013 and 2015, as well as the AAAS/Subaru SB & F prize.
His work has appeared in the Best American Nature and Science Writing, the New Yorker, the Atlantic, the New York Times Magazine, Psychology Today, Slate, Mental Floss, and other publications, and he has been featured on NPR's "Radiolab," "All Things Considered," and "Fresh Air."
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