Disappearing Spoon and Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements

Bravo, Mr. Kean! There are a good amount of character-driven, pop-sci histories out there now, of which I've read a few. This is now one of my favorites, right up there with Bill Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything." While Bryson can't be trumped in style, his take on the genre is starting to show it's age. Since "The Disappearing Spoon" has such a relatively narrow focus, it really allows the author to plumb the depths of the subject. He digs up plenty of obscure, half extinct anecdotes, and every little bit of it is fascinating. Not a single extraneous detail saps your interest in hearing more.

If I had to complain about something, and I always try to, it would be the analogies. Analogies are used all throughout to explain anything relatively complicated. This technique makes me wince, in any context or medium. They felt particularly forced in this book, and I don't think they really enhance the general reader's understanding. Also, if it's even worth mentioning, this book caves to the "equations in pop sci" rule and includes very little technical detail. Could we at least get an appendix? It still gets five stars because this book is all about the stories, not the science.

Writing style is very lively, quirky use of transitions, and a cornucopia of fascinating minutia and anecdota of scientists' egos and foibles.