The Last Sorcerers: The Path from Alchemy to the Periodic Table by Richard Morris (PDF)

Description

They started with four: earth, air, fire, and water. From these basics, they sought to understand the essential ingredients of the world. Those who could see further, those who understood that the four were just the beginning, were the last sorcerers – and the world’s first chemists.What we now call chemistry began in the fiery cauldrons of mystics and sorcerers seeking not to make a better world through science, but rather to make themselves richer through magic formulas and con games. But among these early magicians, frauds, and con artists were a few far-seeing “alchemists” who, through rigorous experimentation, transformed mysticism into science.By the 18th century the building blocks of nature, the elements of which all matter is composed, were on the verge of being discovery. Initially, it was not easy to determine whether a substance really was an element. Was water just water, plain and simple? Or could it be the sum of other (unknown and maybe unknowable) parts? And if water was made up of other substances, how could it be broken down into discreet, fundamental, and measurable components?Scientific historians generally credit the great 18th century French chemist Antoine Lavoisier with addressing these fundamental questions and ultimately modernizing the field of chemistry. Through his meticulous and precise work this chaotic new field of scientific inquiry was given order. Exacting by nature, Lavoisier painstakingly set about performing experiments that would provide lasting and verifiable proofs of various chemical theories. Unfortunately, the outspoken Lavoisier eventually lost his head in the Terror, but others would follow his lead, carefully examining, measuring, and recording their findings.As the field slowly progressed, another pioneer was to emerged almost 100 years later. Dimitri Mendeleev, an eccentric genius who cut his flowing hair and beard but once a year, sought to answer the most pressing questions that remained to chemists: Why did some elements have properties that resembled those of others? Were there certain natural groups of elements? And, if so, how many, and what elements fit into them? It was Mendeleev who finally addressed all these issues when he constructed the first Periodic Table in the late 1800s.But between and after Lavoisier and Mendeleev were a host of other colorful, brilliant scientists who made their mark on the field of chemistry. Depicting the lively careers of these scientists and their contributions while carefully deconstructing the history and the science, author Richard Morris skillfully brings it all to life. Hailed by Kirkus Reviews as a “clear and lively writer with a penchant for down-to-earth examples” Morris’s gift for explanation – and pure entertainment – is abundantly obvious. Taking a cue from the great chemists themselves, Morris has brewed up a potent combination of the alluringly obscure and the historically momentous, spiked with just the right dose of quirky and ribald detail to deliver a magical brew of history, science, and personalities.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐I found the stories told on the book so interesting that I read it like a romance, for a few days, every spare time I had, I was reading this book… One will enjoy and learn at the same time.After reading it, you have a very strong impression that humanity has just started to make science. Not long ago, the knowledge available was so superficial that very few aspects of chemistry were reasonably explained.The author explains the science involved in very simple terms, it helps if the reader has some previous knowledge of chemistry or physics to fill in the blanks. The last part of the book requires additional reading to understand the evolution of scientific knowledge during the twentieth century.I recommend reading the Scientists by John Gribbin as a complementary book as nice to read as this one.

⭐I found the stories told on the book so interesting that I read it like a romance, for a few days, every spare time I had, I was reading this book… One will enjoy and learn at the same time.After reading it, you have a very strong impression that humanity has just started to make science. Not long ago, the knowledge available was so superficial that very few aspects of chemistry were reasonably explained.The author explains the science involved in very simple terms, it helps if the reader has some previous knowledge of chemistry or physics to fill in the blanks. The last part of the book requires additional reading to understand the evolution of scientific knowledge during the twentieth century.I recommend reading the Scientists by John Gribbin as a complementary book as nice to read as this one.

⭐My daughter LOVES this book. She loves both chemistry and history so she has been carrying around this book for months, sharing it with others.

⭐I bought this book for my father, a chemist. Since I haven’t read it, there’s not much that I can say about it other than he made a point of telling me how much he was enjoying reading it.

⭐Reasonably interesting book but not if one is specifically interested in the periodic table or its evolution. Only one or two chapters are actually on the periodic table. In addition the final 40 or so pages consist just of a “catalog of elements”, essentially a complete list of all the elements, the dates they were discovered etc. This is nothing more than a page filler for a book that is well written but rather too superficial for anybody really interested in chemistry and physics.

⭐Nice book

⭐Very good book for someone whos is interested in the history of chemistry. A good element for motivation, for reflexion or for preparing a lecture.

⭐There’s something about alchemy. The thought of all those tortured souls laboring over their smoky crucibles to transmute lead to gold, mystically purifying their souls in the process, is romantic but easily dismissed as misguided metaphysical nonsense. But this book shows how early alchemists actually paved the way — and in fact, provided the impetus — for the evolution of science, pursuing knowledge and deeper understanding of the natural world and building a framework of rigorous, repeatable experimental testing. The author carefully tracks this progression from the waning days of the Western alchemists to the emergence of string theory, with a special focus on the periodic table and discovery of elements.The historical research that went into the book was exceptional, and I was impressed by the depth of knowledge required to tackle such complex topics, but it got a little crowded at the end as he tried to cram too much about quantum physics and string theory into the remaining thin sliver of the book (perhaps unconsciously mimicking the hidden dimensions of these later theories).Loved this line: According to Empedocles (a Greek philosopher and proto-scientist), “the elements were combined by love and separated by strife.” And here’s a little something I learned: “…eunuchs almost never go bald.” Make of that what you will.All in all, a good read that brings to life an interesting undercurrent in science.

⭐Historical journey from ignorance to what is probably the most profound scientific discovery made by Humankind. This book covers the trial and error process of ‘Mixing stuff up’ , leading into the modern story of the Periodic Table. An introductory level book but none the worse for that. A great reference book covering a very large number of scientists.Highly enjoyable, Highly recommended.

⭐Enigmatic

⭐This is a moving and thought provoking look at the history of alchemy and science, and the birth of chemistry. Easy to read and understand, practical and fascinating. The author is likeable and eloquent without being too dry. A must read for lovers of science or history.

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