A Tale of Seven Elements

compulsory reading for those who wish to inject some life into the story of the elements and the periodic table. * Kevin de Berg, Science and Education * You could say the periodic table is elementary, but Eric Scerri shows that the stories behind the key discoveries in chemistry were dramatic, political and full of blind alleys. * New Scientist * It's an extraordinary rich and complete book, not only regarding the chemistry of each of the studied elements, but also on the nature of science [translation] * Revista Eureka sobre Ensenanza y Divulgacion de las Ciencias * fascinating stories, full of priority disputes, nationalistic squabbles, firm announcements of non-existent elements, and flashes of comedy and tragedy. * Virginia Trimble, The Observatory * As a professional historian of chemistry who thought that he already knew these stories, I was surprised by how much novel and interesting material Scerri has unearthed in this admirable book. He offers corrections to many long-standing textbook errors, both historical and scientific, and presents a fresh, thoroughly researched understanding of a complex web of interacting research during a period of about 30 years... chemists, historians and philosophers of science, as well as educated laypeople, will unquestionably find this book an entertaining and highly instructive read. * Alan Rocke, THE * Eric Scerri offers us a fascinating account of the discovery of these seven elements. Author of The Periodic Table: Its Story and Its Significance (2007), Scerri is superbly qualified for this task: chemist, philosopher of science and historian, he is the foremost contemporary analyst of the periodic table. * Alan Rocke, THE * it is an excellent read, and it is warmly recommended to all students and practitioners of chemistry and related fields, and to all those who are interested in the history and the culture of science. * Istvan Hargittai, Journal of Structural Chemistry *