- ISBN13: 9780192806000
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
Product Description
Was Napoleon killed by the arsenic in his wallpaper? How did Rasputin survive cyanide poisoning? Which chemicals in our environment pose the biggest threat to our health today? In The Elements of Murder, John Emsley answers these questions and offers a fascinating account of five of the most toxic elements–arsenic, antimony, lead, mercury, and thallium–describing their lethal chemical properties and highlighting their use in some of the most famous murder cases in… More >>
The Elements of Murder: A History of Poison
Tags: Elements, History, murder, Poison
#1 by polivor on April 5, 2010 - 4:45 am
Fine writing, especially the city’s and characters’ “atmospherics’. Unfortunately
the work is marred by a fairly convoluted
and far-fetched plot.
Rating: 3 / 5
#2 by Fletcher Rooney on April 5, 2010 - 7:13 am
I found this book a lot less engaging than I expected from the interview I heard with the author (which is what led me to buy the book).
Rating: 2 / 5
#3 by Antigone Walsh on April 5, 2010 - 8:52 am
I was disappointed in this leaden rendition which promised to be a scintillating skip through murderous history. Instead it is a dry and technical examination of the chemical properties of lead, arsenic, thallium, mercury and other elements interspersed with historical references and tired recounts of notorious homicides. Many of the murders are obscure and the writing is uninspired. The basic message was that while a little poison may not hurt you and may even help you a little more might kill you. If you are more interested in chemistry than homicide, this is the book for you. I did find the glossary helpful and actually well written and suggest that readers for whom high school chemistry is a distant memory begin there before plodding through the text.
Rating: 3 / 5
#4 by arzewski on April 5, 2010 - 11:22 am
This is a very well researched and detailed compendium of historical facts that have involved some kind of toxicological attack. Too bad it only lists as the toxic source the elements in the periodic table. For example, no word about toxins in mushrooms, that have definitely been used in the past for intentionally poisoning people.
Rating: 4 / 5
#5 by RJ Fisher on April 5, 2010 - 2:16 pm
This book by John Emsley explores the dangerous nature of the elements arsenic, antimony, mercury, lead, and thallium with graphic stories of murders and accidental deaths dating back centuries. Although the book contains a great deal of scientific detail, it includes fascinating information that would appeal to lovers of mystery novels and fans of television’s CSI and Law and Order. The author’s objective in writing the book is to provide information on the toxic nature of certain elements by chronicling stories of the effects of these elements on humans and on the environment over time. The book goes into detail about the fact that elements are everywhere in the environment, our food, and our bodies.
Many of the stories involve famous people; these include Isaac Newton, King Charles II, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Vincent van Gogh, Pope Clement II, and Saddam Hussein. While the author includes interesting historical facts and a great deal of scientific information, the book is at times a bit discursive. Nonetheless, his stories are compelling and make the reader want to read on.
One of the best parts of the book is the story of Napoleon. Following his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon was exiled to the island of Saint Helena where he lived for several years before his death. Conspiracy theories surrounded his death and, after years of investigation, many believe Napoleon died of arsenic poisoning.
I would recommend this book to anyone high school age or above who is interested in alchemy and chemistry and particularly to those who love crime and mystery novels, TV shows, or movies. This book certainly puts an intriguing spin on the periodic table. The book would also be interesting to history lovers, since many of the stories involve prominent historical figures.
Originally a teacher at King’s College in London, Dr. Emsley has been writing for years and was Science Writer in Residence at Imperial College in London and the Chemistry Department of the University of Cambridge. He has won numerous awards for his writing including a nomination for The Elements of Murder in 2006 for the Edgar Award for “Best Fact Crime” book.
Rating: 4 / 5