The modern world is filled with wondrous products of science. Physical chemist Keith Laidler describes the history of many of the most important ones, and the familiar names with which they are associated: Watt and thermodynamics, Daguerre and photography, Faraday and electric power, Maxwell and radio, Thompson and electronics, Bragg and crystallography, Planck and Einstein for quantum mechanics and relativity. Naturally, Laidler describes the contributions (and the controversies) involving the other great names of science as well. This is a terrific book for those of us who teach and learn chemistry, especially of the physical variety. It includes a great deal of history that is familiar to those who have done some reading in the area, but almost anyone would find interesting new facts and perspectives.
Keith J. Laidler