Adam Rogers (1) (1970–)

A Rainbow Of Possibilities. This isn't the book about vision I thought it was when I originally picked it up (admittedly without even reading the description, the title alone was intriguing enough). This is instead a book about the history and current science of dye manufacturing and how it is both one of the most ancient of technologies humans have known and one of the most groundbreaking. As it turns out, my own area - Jacksonville, FL - plays a role in the narrative, being a large source show more of the most technologically advanced white dye currently known. Yes, at times the book gets a bit... winding... and it can seem like we have diverged into other topics altogether, but the author always winds up coming back to the central thesis after these jaunts through various bits of history. Truly a fascinating read about a history many don't know and a topic many might find a bit mundane - which is exactly what makes the work so awesome, particularly combined with the author's great timing with comedic levity. Very much recommended. show less

Very interesting. Enough science without being inaccessible. Most interesting thing is that in studies with rats they find that we don't actually like ethanol. Spirits, like brown drinks, are all about the extra flavours. It's like we have bad tasting food with incredible sauce.

I was originally inspired to buy this after reading the Wired magazine article written by the same guy about black mould growing on everything in the neighborhood of a whisky distillery. The article was terrific and won a journalism prize, but unfortunately the book doesn't manage the same standard.

The prose is very good and I learned quite a bit that I didn't know already, but there appears to be so much that science doesn't understand about how alcohol and the human body interact, that a show more lot of the conclusions end up being 'we don't really know'.

However, a book worth reading, and will justify the time you spend on it even if you only absorb Roger's exposition of our relationship with booze as a phenomenon over deep timescales. show less

Just... not the best book written. Great start but, man, "editing" is a good thing and not every book has to be long. Some cool facts and interesting tidbits about booze but really a struggle to read after the first chapters.