The Disappearing Spoon by Sam Kean

Never in a million years would I think of the word fascinating in association with the periodical table of the elements, but The Disappearing Spoon has changed all that. The periodic table is fascinating if you know about what went/goes on in discovering, proving, and naming all of the different elements. This book is full of fun and sometimes disturbing facts about the great scientists and their quests to be famous. The elements themselves have a history and a uniqueness that most of us never think about past chemistry class. Seriously, if you are looking to learn about something new, this is a great read!

Karen

Read-alike: The Professor and the Madman: a tale of murder, insanity, and the making of the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester. Of course completely different subject matter but same fascinating unknown factoids.