John Emsley almost rivals Dava Sobel in his ability to collate a seemingly boring history (that of the element phosphorus) and make it indispensable to the history of mankind. Starting with its discovery 350 years ago and ending with modern studies and environmental concerns, his "biography" of the element is fraught with mystery, intrigue, passion, and most importantly, knowledge. There are times when he does digress for a while (giving a fairly comprehensive history of match-making and its social implications, for instance), but on the whole, he stays true to his subject. A good read for science buffs. ( )

Thoughts on [The 13th Element] - I read [Molecules at an Exhibition] by this author and really enjoyed it, so when I found this one in the chemistry section at the library, I thought it looked interesting. I was right.

This is all about the element phosphorus - its discovery, its uses, hazards, and history. Not just for scientists, it was an entertaining and easy read. A few times the chemistry got a little technical for me, so I just skimmed ahead for a bit. But I can recommend it to those with an interest in science. ( )

A history and social history of phosphorus. Slightly more interesting than you might think.

(Fun Fact: humans are nearly 1% P by weight; so the element is both essential AND toxic.)

(Omissions: M finds it hard to believe that any such work can leave out the role of phosphorus in "The Hound of the Baskervilles". And - just before publication of this book (too late for inclusion...) - the DEA made P a *controlled substance*, as it can be used as a reagent in meth production.) ( )

Entertaining and informative but incomplete: I found this to be one of the more interesting science books to read and there is much here to amuse and inform throughout.However, parts of it are stronger than others. I would ask the author why he chose not to include a very important modern application of the element. Possibly its most important application is in semiconductors. It is a popular dopant in silicon transistors for example. Moreover, it is a key element in the compound semiconductor alloys which give us the laser diode so important for CD/DVD etc., and is the basis of our fibre optic networks.If I were him I would junk the weak section on spontaneous combustion and replace it with a chapter (or two) on semiconductors. Let's hope he can do this for the revised edition in a year or so's time...