Product Description: Napoleon's Buttons is the fascinating account of seventeen groups of molecules that have greatly influenced the course of history. These molecules provided the impetus for early exploration, and made possible the voyages of discovery that ensued. The molecules resulted in grand feats of engineering and spurred advances in medicine and law; they determined what we now eat, drink, and wear. A change as small as the position of an atom can lead to enormous alterations in the properties of a substance-which, in turn, can result in great historical shifts.
With lively prose and an eye for colorful and unusual details, Le Couteur and Burreson offer a novel way to understand the shaping of civilization and the workings of our contemporary world.
Good short read It is an interesting book. It puts science discoveries in a social historical perspective. Chapters are brief, but written in a endearing way; the chemical structure explanations are good as well.
Makes You Want to Hug Your Chemist I had known about this book for some time but simply did not believe that a couple of organic chemists could possibly write a captivating history. I am now printing out that sentence so I can eat it. This was one of the most original spins on world history that I have ever read.
Drs. Le Couteur and Burreson do indeed fill a hefty number of pages with diagrams of chemical structures and formulae but none of them are essential to the understanding of this book. It is absolutely a book on history, not chemistry and all their geeky stuff simply breaks down the thesis that a tiny difference in the bond between two molecules could have massive impact on the entire planet. Had tin, which made up the buttons of Napoleon's fearsome army, not crumbled to dust at low temperatures, soldiers may not have frozen to death during the Russian winter and France may have come to dominate the universe instead of England. I know I'm praying to the gods of tin right this very now.
Great for all audiences A book about chemistry and its role in the history of the world.
Awesome book. Great for all audiences.
I think its readable for the high school science geek, the beginning college science majors but also the senior citizen curious as to where his or her artificial sweeteners came from or what certain pharmaceutical drugs he or she might be taken are targeting in their body.
The author brings chemistry into history which might make this book of interest to historians as well.
Highly recommended.
This book was a lot of fun Napoleon's Buttons looks at how several compounds have drastically affected human history, including spices, sugars, fabrics, metals, drugs, cleaners, and dyes. The book made me fondly reminiscent of the old 80's TV sitcom "Head of the Class", where the teacher would give lessons such as "how a baseball led to the Bay of Pigs".
Some might be turned off by the detail given and discussed regarding chemical structures and formulas, but it can be skipped - however I don't recommend it because the similarity in compounds they discuss is a key part to fully enjoying the book. I highly recommend this book for a teenager who has shown interest in Chemistry.
Excellent collection of science factoids I really enjoyed how much I learned from this book. It was slow to start, but once I got into the "dense" writing style, I learned so much, and can now really appreciate the critical balance between natural and man-made substances and their effects on the environment. A very fascinating read.
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