The Periodic Table is one of man’s crowning scientific achievements. But it’s also a treasure trove of stories of passion, adventure, betrayal, and obsession. The infectious tales and astounding details in THE DISAPPEARING SPOON follow carbon, neon, silicon, and gold as they play out their parts in human history, finance, mythology, war, the arts, poison, and the lives of the (frequently) mad scientists who discovered them.
We learn that Marie Curie used to provoke jealousy in colleagues’ wives when she’d invite them into closets to see her glow-in-the-dark experiments. And that Lewis and Clark swallowed mercury capsules across the country and their campsites are still detectable by the poison in the ground. Why did Gandhi hate iodine? Why did the Japanese kill Godzilla with missiles made of cadmium? And why did tellurium lead to the most bizarre gold rush in history?
From the Big Bang to the end of time, it’s all in THE DISAPPEARING SPOON.
About the Author:
Sam Kean is a writer in Washington, D.C. His work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Mental Floss, Slate, The Believer, Air & Space, Science, and The New Scientist. He is currently working as a reporter at Science magazine and as a 2009 Middlebury Environmental Journalism fellow.
My Review:
I liked this one.
Kean takes lots of previously dull information
(to me anyway)
and makes it INTERESTING!
He does this by using language that
I can understand:-)
and adding tidbits of history
and a little humor now and then.
Textbooks that are written like this,’
would make learning so much more fun.
Double thumbs up for The Disappearing Spoon.
Thanks to Ann and Hachette,
I have 2 copies that I can give away.
Here are the Rules:
Giveaway open to residents of the US and Canada
Hachette will not Send to P.O. Box Addresses
To Enter – leave a comment telling me what your favorite
subject was, in school.
Make sure to leave a valid email address with your comment.
Extra Entries
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I enjoyed math in school, at least until I hit geometry! I also really liked biology. But I always loved english the best. As I advanced in school, this subject improved more anf more because in high school I was assigned good books to read and we discussed them in class. And in college, of course, there were electives in my major which was english, of course! lol
This book seems to combine the best, or at least good parts of several subjects: english, math & science. And if I don't enjoy the book as much as I think I will, I know my husband will love it!
Thank you for hosting this giveaway! ~ Amy Aimala127 AT gmail DOT com
My favorite subject in school was math with science a close second. Maybe that is why I am a high school math teacher today. This book sounds fascinating, and I would so love to win one of the copies being given away.
My fave subject in high school was honors English (a combo of English Lit, History and Art History) team-taught and quite fun. In college it was Political Science. Just finished the book from the library but would LOVE my own copy. I'll follow you on Twitter shortly. On Twitter, I'm Aradia53.
Nice to see another non-scientist woman who found the book as interesting as I did. I'm 57 years old and happy to know I can still learn stuff!
One of my favourite subjects in school was algebra.
This book sounds so interesting I would love to win it.
cenya2 at hotmail dot com
Math – geometry, algebra, trig, etc – was always my favorite!
kpbarnett1941[at]aol[dot]com
English Lit was always my favorite. I never cared for the grammar part. But oh how I loved and still love to read.
giveawaymommy at yahoo.com
Literature, History were my favorites in school.
CarolNWong(at)aol(dot)com
Art and English were my faves
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mine was music
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I enjoyed math in school, at least until I hit geometry! I also really liked biology. But I always loved english the best. As I advanced in school, this subject improved more anf more because in high school I was assigned good books to read and we discussed them in class. And in college, of course, there were electives in my major which was english, of course! lol
This book seems to combine the best, or at least good parts of several subjects: english, math & science. And if I don't enjoy the book as much as I think I will, I know my husband will love it!
Thank you for hosting this giveaway!
~ Amy
Aimala127 AT gmail DOT com
Twitter follower
@Amestir
Aimala127 AT gmail DOT com
networked blog follower
(id: Amy Meyer)
Aimala127 AT gmail DOT com
My favorite subject was psychology!
skkorman AT bellsouth DOT net
My favorite subject in school was math with science a close second. Maybe that is why I am a high school math teacher today. This book sounds fascinating, and I would so love to win one of the copies being given away.
Thank you,
Christine
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I tweeted about this giveaway http://twitter.com/ossmcalc/status/24165297844
Thank you,
Christine
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Entry 1
As ossmcalc, I follow you on Twitter.
Thank you,
Christine
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Entry 2
As ossmcalc, I follow you on Twitter.
Thank you,
Christine
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Entry 1
I follow you on Networked Blogs.
Thank you,
Christine
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Entry 2
I follow you on Networked Blogs.
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Christine
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Entry 3
I follow you on Networked Blogs.
Thank you,
Christine
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My fave subject in high school was honors English (a combo of English Lit, History and Art History) team-taught and quite fun. In college it was Political Science. Just finished the book from the library but would LOVE my own copy. I'll follow you on Twitter shortly. On Twitter, I'm Aradia53.
Nice to see another non-scientist woman who found the book as interesting as I did. I'm 57 years old and happy to know I can still learn stuff!
My favorite subject was math.
Thanks for the chance to win.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
English was my favorite subject in school.
mce1011 AT aol DOT com
I loved art!
six_one_nine_girlie (at) yahoo (dot) com