The item you selected is unavailable, but we found something similar.

Picture 1 of 1

Stock photo

The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History o - Picture 1 of 1

The Disappearing Spoon : And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements by Sam Kean (2011, Trade Paperback)

4.888 product ratings

Book Outlet Store (246970)
99% positive feedback

Price:

$7.49

+ US $3.49 shipping

Estimated delivery Wed, Apr 24 - Sat, Apr 27

Returns:

30 days returns. Buyer pays for return shipping.

Condition:

Brand New

Great book!

About this product

Product Information

From New York Times bestselling author Sam Kean comes incredible stories of science, history, finance, mythology, the arts, medicine, and more, as told by the Periodic Table. Why did Gandhi hate iodine (I, 53)? How did radium (Ra, 88) nearly ruin Marie Curie's reputation? And why is gallium (Ga, 31) the go-to element for laboratory pranksters?* The Periodic Table is a crowning scientific achievement, but it's also a treasure trove of adventure, betrayal, and obsession. These fascinating tales follow every element on the table as they play out their parts in human history, and in the lives of the (frequently) mad scientists who discovered them. THE DISAPPEARING SPOON masterfully fuses science with the classic lore of invention, investigation, and discovery--from the Big Bang through the end of time. *Though solid at room temperature, gallium is a moldable metal that melts at 84 degrees Fahrenheit. A classic science prank is to mold gallium spoons, serve them with tea, and watch guests recoil as their utensils disappear.

Product Identifiers

Publisher
Little Brown & Company
ISBN-10
0316051632
ISBN-13
9780316051637
eBay Product ID (ePID)
102767759

Product Key Features

Book Title
Disappearing Spoon : And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements
Author
Sam Kean
Format
Trade Paperback
Language
English
Topic
Chemistry / Physical & Theoretical, Chemistry / Analytic, History, Chemistry / Organic, Chemistry / General
Publication Year
2011
Genre
Science
Number of Pages
416 Pages

Dimensions

Item Length
8.5in
Item Height
1.2in
Item Width
5.8in
Item Weight
13.2 Oz

Additional Product Features

Lc Classification Number
Qd466.K37 2010
Reviews
"Kean's palpable enthusiasm and the thrill of knowledge and invention the book imparts can infect even the most right-brained reader."-- Christine Thomas , Miami Herald, "Only once in a rare while does an author come along with the craft and the vision to capture the fun and fascination of chemistry. The Disappearing Spoon is a pleasure and full of insights. If only I had read it before taking chemistry."-- Mark Kurlansky , author of Salt and Cod, "[Kean turns] The Disappearing Spoon into a nonstop parade of lively science stories...ebullient."-- Janet Maslin , New York Times, "If you stared a little helplessly at the chart of the periodic table on the wall of your high school chemistry class, then this is the book for you. It elucidates both the meanings and the pleasures of those numbers and letters, and does so with style and dash."-- Bill McKibben , author of Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet, "With a constant flow of fun facts bubbling to the surface, Kean writes with wit, flair, and authority in a debut that will delight even general readers."-- Publishers Weekly, "Kean's writing sparks like small shocks...he gives science a whiz-bang verve so that every page becomes one you cannot wait to turn just to see what he's going reveal next."-- Caroline Leavitt , The Boston Globe, "Kean...unpacks the periodic table's bag of tricks with such aplomb and fascination that material normally as heavy as lead transmutes into gold. A-"-- Keith Staskiewicz, Entertainment Weekly, " The Disappearing Spoon shines a welcome light on the beauty of the periodic table. Follow plain speaking and humorous Sam Kean into its intricate geography and stray into astronomy, biology, and history, learn of neon rain and gas warfare, meet both ruthless and selfless scientists, and before it is over fall head over heels for the anything but arcane subject of chemistry."-- Bill Streever , author of Cold, "Kean...unpacks the periodic table's bag of tricks with such aplomb and fascination that material normally as heavy as lead transmutes into gold. A-"-- Keith Staskiewicz , Entertainment Weekly, "Nearly 150 years of wide-ranging science...and Kean makes it all interesting. Entertaining and enlightening."-- Kirkus
Copyright Date
2011
Lccn
2011-381769
Dewey Decimal
546
Intended Audience
Trade
Dewey Edition
22
Illustrated
Yes

All listings for this product

item 1 The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of- 0316051632, paperback, Sam Kean
$3.97
Last oneFree shipping
item 2 The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and - ACCEPTABLE
$3.98
Free shipping
item 3 The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the Hi - GOOD
$3.98
Free shipping
item 4 The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the Histo...
$3.99
Free shipping
item 5 The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the Histo...
$4.06
Free shipping
item 6 The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the Histo...
$4.06
Free shipping
item 7 The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the Histo...
$4.28
Free shipping

See all 73

4.9

4.9 out of 5 stars based on 8 product ratings

8 product ratings

7 users rated this 5 out of 5 stars
1 users rated this 4 out of 5 stars
0 users rated this 3 out of 5 stars
0 users rated this 2 out of 5 stars
0 users rated this 1 out of 5 stars

Would recommend

Good value

Compelling content

Most relevant reviews

See all 6 reviews

5 out of 5 stars
by joga745297Oct 11, 2021
Catchy..... certainly catchy. I'd like to see it happen!
Like the origin of numbers, math, etc., reading about the discovery of the elements is fascinating to a science-oriented guy. What was unexpected was the jealousies, prejudices, politics and beliefs behind the science. This was never taught in class!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
5 out of 5 stars
by gcooper1023May 11, 2021
I was excited to share these stories with my chemistry class.
Loved this book. Read it twice. Then I read the recommended reading by the author. If you love chemistry history, this book has great stories.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
5 out of 5 stars
by haley853Dec 14, 2021
Fun read for both science buffs and others
Those of us who study chemistry may not know the history of periodic table. Kean tells a lively story!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
5 out of 5 stars
by wayne00Feb 02, 2016
Great stuff-even non-geeks should like this!
The human interest and back-stories about the discovery of elements are just amazing. Well written, never stodgy or stuffy-just a great read that encompasses science, society, human nature (good and bad), and some intrigue, coupled with occasional humor and irony. GREAT book!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
5 out of 5 stars
by katensbSep 12, 2018
Easy to read, hard to put down
Love the way the writer explains the science of the Period Table of Elements with an easy to follow story format
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned

Best Selling in Books

See all

Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best Selling in Books

Outlive Gifford Bil (2023,Paperback)
4.7 out of 5 stars based on 7 product ratings
$11.33 New
$5.99 Used
SHOGUN a Novel of Japan French Edition 1999 by Clavell James 0340766166
No ratings or reviews yet
$24.14 New
$13.51 Used
The Book of Enoch by Enoch (2017, Hardcover)
4.8 out of 5 stars based on 137 product ratings
$16.46 New
$15.37 Used
The Empyrean Ser.: Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros (2023, Hardcover)
5.0 out of 5 stars based on 3 product ratings
$15.00 New
$10.80 Used
Fast Like a Girl : A Woman's Guide to Using the Healing Power of Fasting to Burn Fat, Boost Energy, and Balance Hormones by Mindy Pelz (2022, Hardcover)
4.9 out of 5 stars based on 10 product ratings
$10.44 New
$9.21 Used
If I Did It : Confessions of the Killer by The Goldman The Goldman Family and O. J. Simpson (2008, Trade Paperback)
4.6 out of 5 stars based on 51 product ratings
$17.95 New
$5.21 Used
The Very First Bible by Marcion of Sinope (2020, Trade Paperback)
3.5 out of 5 stars based on 13 product ratings
$13.02 New
$12.75 Used

Save on Books

Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Save on Books

Sailor Moon Raisonne ART WORKS 1991 - 2023 Normal Edition 9784065309094
$47.99
Trending at $62.95
😇, 😇DIAGNOSTIC STATISTICAL MANUAL OF MENTAL DISORDERSvTEXT REVISION DSM 5 TR
$35.06
Trending at $41.00
THE BOOK OF ENOCH - Translated by R. H Charles (1917 Translation, Hardback)
$12.99
Trending at $15.38
The Very First Bible Of Sinope, Marcion
$12.99
Trending at $13.48
A Court of Thorns and Roses Ser.: A Court of Thorns and Roses Paperback Box Set
$45.60
Trending at $46.99
Niv Large Print Holy Bible [Paperback] GRAND RAPID
$14.99
Trending at $23.99

Picture 1 of 1

The Disappearing Spoon : And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements by Sam Kean (2011, Trade Paperback)

About this product

Product Information

Product Identifiers

Product Key Features

Dimensions

Additional Product Features

All listings for this product

Ratings and Reviews

Most relevant reviews

Catchy..... certainly catchy. I'd like to see it happen!

I was excited to share these stories with my chemistry class.

Fun read for both science buffs and others

Great stuff-even non-geeks should like this!

Easy to read, hard to put down

Best Selling in Books

Save on Books

You may also like