The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the…

An interesting and engaging look at the history of the Periodic Table of Elements. Kean covers both the scientific and cultural history of most of the elements and focuses on how they form the table itself. The book is well written and the chapters flow into each other very well, building from fairly simple scientific concepts to the more robust and obscure theories of quantum physics and even astrobiology.

It's easy to compare Kean's book to Hugh Aldersey-Williams (HAW) Periodic Tales The Curious Lives of the Elements, and I have to admit that Kean's work comes out on top. The flow of writing is much better and the groupings of elements into similar functions and branches of science work better than HAW's five encompassing and uneven grouping based solely on cultural use.

I will say that Kean incorporates a lot of scientific principles, but he strays away from jargon (or at least explains it) and keeps the tone of the book conversational and light. ( )

I just couldn't hold the thread of this book. I'm wondering how much of that was due to reading it on a Kindle and not having the periodic table in front of me the whole time.

There were parts that I liked--especially the stories of the scientists and their discoveries, but at a certain point in the chemistry, I just got lost and felt like I was a sophomore in high school again. Just like then I sorta knew what was going on, but not enough to keep me interested.

I was hoping for descriptions of the science that were as easy to follow as those in The Emperor of All Maladies, but alas, it wasn't to be. It's a shame, because I really feel like I should have liked this book--just like that class in high school. ( )

This book was lots of fun, and it certainly taught me more than I ever learned in high school chemistry class. Quite honestly, if someone had asked me for a definition of "chemistry" before, I don't think I would have known what to say. At the same time, The Disappearing Spoon wasn't like a lecture in the least bit, and instead folded tons of scientific information into stories about the scientists and their accomplishments. I'd recommend it to anyone who's curious about a subject they may have only encountered at the 101 level. ( )

After a boring and off-putting beginning, this book really comes alive. More than that: it becomes fascinating and I had a hard time putting it down.

My main criticism of this book is not about what the author says or how it says it, but about what he does not say. He gives many amazing facts, but he seldom explains how we know what he claims we know or which facts are mere theory and which are confirmed. We are asked, for example, to take his word for the fact that the core of the planet Mercury regularly sheds microscopic squares of iron. But since no one has been to Mercury, and Mercury's core is deep within the planet, how do we know that statement to be true?

While the author does now and "footnote" his claims, what he calls "footnotes" are actually "endnotes" at the back of the book, forcing readers to flip back and forth while reading. And his footnotes, more often than not, consist of nothing more than another unsupported anecdote or fact.

The author's lack of citations and supporting information would be bearable in such an interesting book were it not for the fact that he makes a number of mistakes, either mischaracterizing events or stating incorrect facts. That leaves the reader wondering which "facts" are actually true and which ones are not, something that is unforgivable in a science book, even a popular science book.

The book is nevertheless very interesting and I highly recommend it. Just don't believe everything the author says unless you check his claims against other, more accurate, sources. ( )

Too much physics for my taste, but it was still very interesting. ( )