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Title: The Norton History of Chemistry (Norton History of Science) by William H. Brock, Roy Porter ISBN: 0-393-03536-0 Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company Pub. Date: December, 1993 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $35.00

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Average Customer Rating: 4.25 (4 reviews)

Rating: 4
Summary: Should be called "History of Chemical Theory"
Comment: I can envision three types of history when someone says "History of Chemistry" - 1. tales of the chemists themselves, including ancestory, childhood, education, etc. 2. tales of the experiments they perform and 3. a history of the theories to explain the experiments. This particular book is heavily weighted on the third of these options, and thus, I would have titled this book "History [or Development] of Chemical Theory".

Having narrowed down the scope of what is covered leaves more space to focus on the theory aspects, and it is done very well, especially in the post-Lavoisier era. As mentioned in another review, the Alchemical and Phlogiston theories are much less well developed, which is disappointing. I would also have liked to see more archeological information - a brief discussion of metallurgy in Rome or gunpowder in China would have been interesting, if not particularly scientific.

Finally, although the preface states that anyone with a high school knowledge of science should be able to follow the book, in practice I think that non-chemists (i.e. someone without 2 or 3 university courses) would find it to be heavy slogging.

Rating: 4
Summary: Well researched, broad coverage of practice and theory
Comment: I've only giving this 4 stars because the early part of the book is a little disappointing. The coverage of alchemy is sketchy and the pneumatic chemists are given short shrift. You feel that Brock didn't really have his heart in the pre-Lavoisier history.

By contrast, the treatment of nineteenth century chemistry is suberb, giving broad and balanced coverage of laboratory practice, industry and theoretical developments. The text conveys a real sense of excitement as the discoveries unfold; Brock does an excellent job of organising a wealth of technical detail clearly.

There is also a good coverage of early twentieth century chemistry, about up to the point where quantum mechanics took hold.

Overall, highly recommended. But you definitely need a background in chemistry to get the most out of it.

Rating: 4
Summary: A captivating book
Comment: I was captivated by this book. The book was thoroughly researched and documented, and provided useful insight to the motives behind historical developments.

To enjoy the book, you really need to have a background in chemistry as well as a general knowledge of major historical developments. At times, the book had a disjointed approach, referencing historical individuals long before introducing them. Additionally, I would have preferred a greater focus on the impact of the historical developments on current practice.

Overall, an fascinating and worthwhile endeavor.