The Chemistry of Alchemy: From Dragon's Blood to Donkey Dung, How Chemistry Was Forged (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781616149154)

Be the alchemist! Explore the legend of alchemy with the science of chemistry. Enjoy over twenty hands-on demonstrations of alchemical reactions. In this exploration of the ancient art of alchemy, three veteran chemists show that the alchemists' quest involved real science and they recount fascinating stories of the sages who performed these strange experiments. Why waste more words on this weird deviation in the evolution of chemistry? As the authors show, the writings of medieval alchemists may seem like the ravings of brain-addled fools, but there is more to the story than that. Recent scholarship has shown that some seemingly nonsensical mysticism is, in fact, decipherable code, and Western European alchemists functioned from a firmer theoretical foundation than previously thought. They had a guiding principle, based on experience: separate and purify materials by fire and reconstitute them into products, including, of course, gold and the universal elixir, the Philosophers' stone. Their efforts were not in vain: by trial, by error, by design, and by persistence, the alchemists discovered acids, alkalis, alcohols, salts, and exquisite, powerful, and vibrant reactions--which can be reproduced using common products, minerals, metals, and salts. So gather your vats and stoke your fires! Get ready to make burning waters, peacocks' tails, Philosophers' stone, and, of course, gold!

Author: Cathy Cobb, Monty Fetterolf, Harold Goldwhite
ISBN-10: 1616149159
ISBN-13: 9781616149154
Publisher: Prometheus Books
Language: English
Published: 07/01/2014
Pages: 364
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.31lbs
Size: 9.30h x 6.31w x 1.26d

Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 05/01/2014 pg. 95
Publishers Weekly 05/05/2014
Choice 02/01/2015 pg. 1005