Elemental: How the Periodic Table Can Now Explain (Nearly) Everything 1st Edition

His book was really a disappointment. It seems to be written at about a fifth grade level. The author tries to be funny but doesn’t have the chops. There a lot of popular science books that make complex subjects understandable without pandering to the reader.this isn’t one of them.

This is the closest I have come to understanding physics and chemistry probably ever. Big bonus points for hilarious drawings. If you're at all interested in science and the natural world you should read this!

I get the impression that James greatly enjoyed writing this book and wants to share that joy with us while providing numerous interesting observations about the periodic table and our lives today. I read many science books yet I found some new perspectives and facts here. The last chapter was particularly humorous. Wonderful book. I read the print version while listening to the audible.com version (narrated by Roger Davis) and found the accent and enunciation to be charming. It seems that Davis enjoyed reading it as much as James enjoyed writing it. Thanks to both of you.

My last chemistry class was my freshman year of college in 1979. Had a year of chemistry in high school a few years earlier. Lots of numbers and balancing equations. The author takes us through a fun history Domo of discovery and invention, with spicy stories of death and destruction, and the ways in which chemistry advanced the human condition.Many negative reviewers here: I think they are taking themselves and chemistry too seriously. This book will make chemistry more accessible to readers of any age. I think many middle school kids would enjoy and benefit from this book.

I had first picked it up at the library and decided that I wanted my own copy. As a high school science teacher, I found it similar in nature to Disappearing Spoon but with a different voice by the author.

This book gives a good overview of how the element chart came to be along with some clever interpretations and descriptions of the elements and their impact on life. The book could use a better editor however, since .00001 is ten to the minus five, not ten to the minus six (same with the negative log).

If you like science you need to read this book period. I spend hours of amazement and entertainment reading about a topic I found always dull and heavy.

This book is a really good explanation of the periodic table and how it came about. It is well written in a mostly non-technical style, yet when technical terms are necessary clear explanations are provided. It also has a number of annexes that go into great details, but they are not necessary for comprehension. While the author was at explaining the periodic table he also provided explanations on several common chemical processes that are interesting and and of themselves. Highly recommended.

I was aware that once my son hit 13 he gradually stopped reading books and became glues to his tech devices - pc and phone. I went online for inspiration and was recommended this book. My son is a bright, slightly geeky kid and this suited him perfectly. It is in small chapters, has some illustrations and is funny. I saw him (and his dad) dip in and out of the book and giggle.

Witty, pacy and fascinating, Tim James has a fantastic knack for capturing both the magic of science and the entirety of your attention in one fell swoop. Whether it's the simple basic building blocks to man's understanding of chemistry, or the head-scratching complexity of where it might take us, Tim has the invaluable ability to distill science down to its captivating core, putting discoveries, theories and hypotheses in layman's terms without ever making the reader feel stupid. He walks the fine line between patronising and confusing the reader with the confidence of a master tightrope walker. Put simply: the best book on science I've ever read.

A good-humoured romp through the bizarre,almost magical world of the sub,sub microscopic.Engagingly written,highly informative and,above all,clear.(Well as clear as Chemistry,with it's many,many mysteries,can be.) Best of all,when something is unknown or intrinsically inexplicable,the author candidly admits the fact and doesn't try to dodge or fudge the issue,like some science writers. As good a guide to basic Chemistry as you'll find and a lot more entertaining than the ones I remember from school!

I have worked in the chemical industry for over thirty years and have never really understood the Periodic Table but having read and been totally absorbed by the writings I now have a much improved knowledge of these fascinating elements described by the author. My grateful thanks to you.

I can honestly say this is one of the most entertaining books I've read. Not only is it stuffed with really interesting and relevant information, it presents it in a way that makes the most complex ideas and concepts appear relatively simple and easy to understand. Anybody with any level knowledge of chemistry can pick this book up and be absolutely enthralled, it is safe to say that I read the book in a matter of days simply because I could not do anything else in my free time than read this book. It has a flowing structure which is easy to follow and is stuffed with funny, interesting and mind boggling information. Really a book to make you think. If you get any book related to chemistry, make sure it is this one!