[A] delightful book written for an audience of scientists with an interest in the history of science. It is also suitable for nonscientists, as long as they have some level of interest in the fascinating details of how the chemical elements were first recognized as such and then, one by one, more were discovered. The alchemists and their obsession with transmutation, combined with Greek philosophy, on the one hand put a long dent in what would now be recognized as serious chemistry. On the other hand, the alchemists discovered a lot of useful synthetic techniques in their experiments and pioneered the development of useful chemical apparatus. The section on the periodic table and the short piece on the life of Mendeleev were certainly eye-openers for this reviewer. Scientists really do have life a lot easier these days….Highly recommended. General readers; lower-division undergraduates; faculty; professionals; two-year technical program students.
