Review by Choice Review
As the title suggests, this book is not only about chemistry as the study of the transformations of matter but also about the transformations that occurred in the study of chemistry. To give only two of the most significant examples, the secretiveness of alchemy was replaced by quantitative experiment in the 18th century, and, theoretical studies moved to a position of greater importance in the 20th century. Levere (Univ. of Toronto) organizes this complex story around a few major themes: classification of elements and compounds, relationships between theory and applications, and the changing nature of the chemistry. The result is a concise but comprehensive survey that should be useful as a textbook or supplement in history of science courses. Equally important, the discussion is kept at a level that should be accessible to interested nonscientists who wish to learn more about the development of modern chemistry. Perhaps the major shortcoming of the book is that 20th-century chemistry is covered so briefly, despite the fact that this may be the most interesting and important material for the general reader. Even so, the book does present a solid treatment of the complex process by which chemistry has evolved, and so it is recommended. All levels. H. E. Pence SUNY College at Oneonta
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
Levere (history of science, Univ. of Toronto) draws upon his classroom experience to write an accessible overview of the chemical sciences. Though many other histories of chemistry are in print, the low cost and comprehensive nature of this text make it attractive to libraries. As an "introductory study," it eschews chemical formulae and focuses on the big picture, considering what philosophies guided the work of chemists and to what uses chemistry was put throughout its development. Like many modern histories, it seeks to understand now-outmoded concepts in the context of their original development. For example, rather than label alchemical quests and phlogiston theory as dead ends, Levere shows how they developed from the scientific thinking of the time, reminding us that science is not about right and wrong but rather about the methods that we use to discover the truth underlying physical reality. Recommended for science collections in undergraduate and public libraries. Wade Lee, Univ. of Toledo Libs (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
