Product Description
Napoleon's Buttons is the fascinating account of seventeen groups of molecules that have greatly influenced the course of history. These molecules provided the impetus for early exploration, and made possible the voyages of discovery that ensued. The molecules resulted in grand feats of engineering and spurred advances in medicine and law; they determined what we now eat, drink, and wear. A change as small as the position of an atom can lead to enormous alterations in the properties of a substance-which, in turn, can result in great historical shifts.

With lively prose and an eye for colorful and unusual details, Le Couteur and Burreson offer a novel way to understand the shaping of civilization and the workings of our contemporary world.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.5 based on 24 reviews)

Great for all audiences

A book about chemistry and its role in the history of the world.

Awesome book. Great for all audiences.

I think its readable for the high school science geek, the beginning college science majors but also the senior citizen curious as to where his or her artificial sweeteners came from or what certain pharmaceutical drugs he or she might be taken are targeting in their body.

The author brings chemistry into history which might make this book of interest to historians as well.

Highly recommended.
August 01, 2008

This book was a lot of fun

Napoleon's Buttons looks at how several compounds have drastically affected human history, including spices, sugars, fabrics, metals, drugs, cleaners, and dyes. The book made me fondly reminiscent of the old 80's TV sitcom "Head of the Class", where the teacher would give lessons such as "how a baseball led to the Bay of Pigs".

Some might be turned off by the detail given and discussed regarding chemical structures and formulas, but it can be skipped - however I don't recommend it because the similarity in compounds they discuss is a key part to fully enjoying the book. I highly recommend this book for a teenager who has shown interest in Chemistry.
July 12, 2008

Excellent collection of science factoids

I really enjoyed how much I learned from this book. It was slow to start, but once I got into the "dense" writing style, I learned so much, and can now really appreciate the critical balance between natural and man-made substances and their effects on the environment. A very fascinating read.

March 24, 2008

Great Historical Info

We have enjoyed this book so much that we bought two for presents. It is a bit deep on the chemistry end of the explanations, but great for the historical significance dealing with each of the 17 molecules explained.
January 12, 2008

History Buff or Buffoon, You'll Love This One

Whether you are a rocket scientist or summa cum barely high school graduate, you'll find this book a facinating, fun read. I have read this one several times. I will often just read one chapter, as each is somewhat indepentant of the other. The author's did an excellent job on the illustrations of chemical structures. It is good science and good history at the same time. It has more than a few "ripping-good yarns" in it. This is a book that has come up in quite a few conversations, with one of us usually writing out the title so that it will not be forgotten.
December 20, 2007

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