Periodic Tales: A Cultural History of the Elements, from Arsenic to Zinc

by Hugh Aldersey-Williams

This is a great book but is a long book. Did I mention it was long?

Author Hugh Aldersey-Williams sets out to obtain all the elements on the periodic table that he is able to legally keep and invites us along for the ride.

He gives us a complete history of the element in question as well as its appearances in arts and literature. I found it fascinating reading how he could obtain the pure (or as pure as he could get it) element in our modern day, visiting craftsmen who still practice the ancient arts.

Other than the fact that this book took me eons to read, I highly recommend it to those who enjoy history or for those of us who don’t mind a little history with our science.

Highly recommended.

I give Periodic Tales: A Cultural History of the Elements, from Arsenic to Zinc a solid 5/5.

(Review posted 29 November, 2015)