Prometheans in the Lab : Chemistry and the Making of the Modern World

by McGrayne, Sharon Bertsch

• ISBN13: 9780071407953
• ISBN10: 0071407952
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-08-01
• Publisher: MCG

Summary

"…excellent job of describing the chemical processes and their legacies-both beneficial and unintended. She never lets any of her characters be good or bad, just human. This humanity makes her stories gripping. I highly recommend this thoughtful and thought-provoking book. McGrayne successfully describes the ambiguous effects of chemical technology and the role that human strengths and frailties play on mitigating or exacerbating those effects."—Chemical & Engineering News "…a compelling read."—Nature "Sharon Bertsch McGrayne's appealing collection of biographical essays reminds us how much we owe to chemistry." ­­—New Scientist "On your next trip to the bookstore bypass the action adventure thrillers and seek out Prometheans in the Lab by Sharon McGrayne . . . I wish that (it) were twice its length." —­­PopularMechanics.com "In this striking and readable collection of nine thumbnail biographies of heroic (and troubled) figures in the history of chemistry . . . McGrayne is conscientious about showing the downside of each chemical breakthrough, and the human flaws and 'features' of each Promethean." ­­—Choice

Author Biography

Sharon Bertsch McGrayne is a science writer and award-winning journalist.

Table of Contents

Prelude	p. ix
Acknowledgments	p. xi
Soap and Nicolas Leblanc (December 6, 1742-January 16, 1806)	p. 1
Color and William Henry Perkin (March 12, 1838-July 14, 1907)	p. 15
Sugar and Norbert Rillieux (March 17, 1806-October 8, 1894)	p. 30
Clean Water and Edward Frankland (February 20, 1825-August 9, 1899)	p. 43
Fertilizer, Poison Gas, and Fritz Haber (December 9, 1868-January 29, 1934)	p. 58
Leaded Gasoline, Safe Refrigeration, and Thomas Midgley, Jr. (May 18, 1889-November 2, 1944)	p. 79
Nylon and Wallace Hume Carothers (April 27, 1896-April 29, 1937)	p. 106
DDT and Paul Hermann Muller (January 12, 1899-October 13, 1965)	p. 148
Lead-Free Gasoline and Clair C. Patterson (June 2, 1922-December 5, 1995)	p. 168
Postlude	p. 198
Annotated Bibliography	p. 201
Index	p. 239
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