It is not a chapter that is intended to be read under circumstances requiring divided attention. It is a story filled with difficult names like Lecoq de Boisbaudran, rivalries between scientists, and large doses of intense scientific geekery. If one so choose, one can delve into the more serious-minded stories behind the discovery of each element.įor instance, Chapter Three: “The Galapagos of the Periodic Table” gets pretty deeply involved in the story of Robert Bunsen-of Bunsen burner fame-and two of his students, Dmitri Mendeleev and Julius Lothar Meyer. Which is not intended as criticism, but merely description and analysis. Or while drifting off the sleep at night. Or, if one prefers long engagement, while waiting in line. Within each chapter devoted to one or more of the elements making up the periodic table are multiple narratives of various lengths, but most short enough to cover in a visit to the bathroom. This is the nature of the content and, more importantly, the style of the structure. Ultimately, this is the sort of book one can leave sitting with page corner folded down to keep place of where you left off. Nerd will plenty of information to keep them happy, but Kean is looking to untether the periodic table from its stodgy moorings and bring into the world of bathroom reading. After all, one does put right there in the title that their book is about the periodic table within such a whimsical subtitle if one is attempting to sell only to science nerds. The thing one must understand about Sam Kean’s The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements is that it is not supposed to be taken too seriously. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community.
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