Why read The Shocking History of Phosphorus?

Book cover of The Shocking History of Phosphorus: A Biography of the Devil's Element

Book description

Born of the age of alchemy and harbouring the kind of mysterious influence that alchemists sought, phosphorus brought wealth to a few but misery to many. For over 300 years, phosphorus maimed, killed, polluted and burned - sometimes on a terrifying scale. Yet, such were its perceived benefits that doctors…

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Why read it?

1 author picked The Shocking History of Phosphorus as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Kathryn Harkup

Author

Yes, it’s a book all about one element, and that element just happens to be my favourite, but it’s also a book about biology, history, alchemy, ghosts, spontaneous human combustion, murder, industrial poisoning, and war.

I have spent plenty of time in the lab getting to know phosorus at a very personal level, but this book revealed a whole new side to the element. If, like me, you love the macabre and gothic, the sinister and the scientific, this is the element and the book for you.

From Kathryn's list on The best books about chemistry that aren’t chemistry books.