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Review
"An astonishingly comprehensive survey of nature's fundamental ingredients.... By combining juicy anecdotes and fun with a wealth of up-to-date reference material, 'Nature's Building Blocks' hits the spot."--Malcolm Browne, New York Times
"A marvel--encyclopedic in scope, but so full of enthusiasm, so engagingly written, that one can open it at any point and read for sheer delight.... I have read and possess many books on the elements, but it is Dr. Emsley's new book which will now sit next to me on my desk."--Oliver Sacks
"Emsley's colorful account of all the elements in the universe is a succinct history of everything.... Emsley drew on 20 years of collected magazine and newspaper articles to produce this marvelous reference work. 'Nature's Building Blocks' is the kind of book people consult in the pursuit of a single fact, but this fact will lead to another and another, drawing the reader in an enjoyable chase from naturally occurring nuclear reactors to human zinc deficie --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
John Emsley's Nature's Building Bocks was published in paperback in 2003. In this readable, informative, and fascinating guide to the elements are entries on each of the 100-odd chemical elements, arranged alphabetically from actinium to zirconium. Each entry comprises an explanation of where the element's name comes from, followed by Body element (the role it plays in living things), Element of history (how and when it was discovered), Economic element (what it is used for), Environmental element (where it occurs, how much), Chemical element (facts, figures, and narrative), and Element of surprise (an amazing, little-known fact). Since publication of the first edition there have been a number of developments. Three new chemical elements have been named and validated: darmstadtium, roetgenium, and copernicium and the section on 'transfermium elements' has now been incorporated into the main part of the book. Economic uses of elements have grown, and some quite rare elements such as Scandium are now economically important, along with updates to elements such as gold due to new roles in industry. Fully revised and updated for 2010, this browsable compendium holds a wealth of useful information.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
28 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Natures Building Blocks: An A-Z Guide To The Elements, is an outstanding book, and quite possibly the greatest science book I've ever read. It is filled with countless fascinating facts, such as why an octopus has blue blood and why some people can consume more than twice the lethal dose of Arsenic and live. It really is an excellent reference book for anyone interested in chemistry, biology, nutrition, medicine, or history, and you'll find yourself going back to it time and time again. It does get `slightly' scientific in places such as when it starts to talk about the various isotopes of an element, so some basic knowledge of chemistry is recommended. But it is not overly technical so it's not essential. The sections I enjoyed the most were the `medical elements' which I found extremely interesting. The book is very well structured and easy to follow. This is the kind of book that makes you feel smarter, a true joy to read and I recommend to all. No one could possibly be disappointed.
39 of 40 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I read this book like a novel. It describes all the elements, in alphabetical order, with the history of their discovery, their economic use, their role in animals, the environment, and medicine, and their chemisty. I particularly enjoyed the "Element of surprise" section. There is also a short but fascinating description of the history of the discovery of the Periodic Table. This book can probably be enjoyed by someone without any scientific background whatsoever.
31 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Anyone from a chemistry geek (ie, me) to a person just curious about the world around them would find something to enjoy in this encyclopedic exploration of all the elements, natural and manmade. Even the rarest elements have a detailed entry, explaining their role in the environment, society, and an interesting fact. The "Element of Surprise" fact is perhaps the best treat of the book, showing an unexpected side to each atom. Along the way, a firm grounding in the history of chemistry, scientific measurements, and particle physics is given in easily accessed language. A perfect reference book to enjoy and then trot out when a lull in conversation demands an obscure anecdote about magnesium.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
great source material for teaching
As a trainee chemistry teacher I have found this book invaluable. It has provided a massive amount of background material, which I can inform the class about when throwing... Read more
Published 1 month ago by K. B. Jackson
Comprehensive Chemical Elements
I was amazed at the detailed coverage of all the known chemical elements, their sources, properties and uses, in this comprehensive book. Read more
Published 1 month ago by D. T. N.
Brilliant work, but...
it would have been perfect if there were an index. The elements are treated alphabetically, so there's no problem finding them. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Peter De Ridder
book: chemical elements nos 1-126 in some depth
99% score with almost near brilliant book on one of my favourite hobby subjects.
not too technical but just enough ie hybrid between superficial and mad-professor. Read more
not too technical but just enough ie hybrid between superficial and mad-professor. Read more
Published 7 months ago by allister m hardwick
Pass me a magnifying glass , please!
I regret having to criticise this magnificent book because every 5 star review written to date is true. Read more
Published 13 months ago by R Aunty Pat
Bathroom Windowsill Book
Great book with lots of info and really easy to read with the sections laid out well. I pick it up the odd time and read about a particular element - each element has a few pages... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Karizma Jill
Excellent
A mine of information. Full on interesting and surprising stories. If you are interested in Geochemistry, you will be most certainly happy to have of copy of it within your reach.
Published 17 months ago by sadlobster
One of the finest reference works i've ever owned.
This book is invaluable, even to someone without much formal science training. Although i'm interested in science, chemistry seemed the bridge between Physics and biology that I... Read more
Published 19 months ago by T. West
Very interesting guide to elements.
A very useful book on the elements for the general public.
For me as a science watcher this is a very well put together book on the fascinating subject on how elements... Read more
For me as a science watcher this is a very well put together book on the fascinating subject on how elements... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Fantasyreader
An elementary purchase!
As a chemistry teacher, this book is quite simply excellent. Whatever element you need to know about, its here - and not just boring facts. Read more
Published on 9 Oct 2009 by C. Baker
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