The Alchemy of Us: How Humans and Matter Transformed One Another (Mit Press)

Pros: 1. the author breaks down every competent behind the process of every invention. You learn about elements like carbon, iron, boron, and copper and how one person's decision to "play" with elements like these created a product that changed society as we know it.2. The author does just as good a job of describing the science stuff as she does the historic impact stuff behind each invention. I like how the author describes some negative effects behind certain inventions too. For example, cameras were at one time "racist"" The film could not simultaneously capture both dark and light skin since an undetected bias was swirled into the film's formulation. The film was optimized for white skin. The chemicals to dutifully pick up a range of colors had long existed. But there was a secret partiality in the combination of these elements used for film's chemistries, favoring one range of color over another".But the author also captures the positive effects certain inventions had on society like Steel for train tracks. "Society was swept up by the momentum propelled by trains full of Christmas trees, Christmas cards, and Christa gifts moving on the rails of steel.cons 1. The author should have put images of each item/invention being described so we could visualize and understand what she was describing. Instead, all of the pictures for these various materials and inventions are located in one section later in the book. 2. Certain inventions like the phonograph had an interesting initial impact on society that I enjoyed reading about..but the author for whatever reason attempted to dive into some loose boring impact of an invention like this one on society. When it comes to the phonograph the author tried to convince me that the phonograph had some big impact on data. Not only was this argument not all that compelling but it made for a boring read.3. The last chapter "think" didn't make me well... think as the previous chapters did. It wasn't as interesting and it simply focused on an invention that just simply wasn't as impactful or interesting as the previous ones.

OK, not an original line for the title of the review, but accurate. Dr. Ramirez' book reveals the fascinating history behind the materials that make our daily lives possible. Along the way, she demonstrates that not only have we made these materials, but we in turn have been shaped by them, so that in an amazing feedback loop, we are changed as much as the materials. The technical term for this is Alchemy ;-).I've written a few popular science books myself, so I can appreciate the care, research and effort that has gone into the writing of this book, the dedication to make it such a pleasure to read. This accessible text illuminates how science is truly a human activity, and to a large extent, it is what makes us human. Even as a condensed matter researcher who for over thirty years has worked in materials science, I nevertheless learned new things and gained new insights on nearly every page of The Alchemy of US.There are many popular science books that deal with the galactic or the sub-atomic, but rather few that deal with life on the human scale, where we actually live. The Alchemy of Us fills an important gap in the popular science canon.- - James Kakalios

I'm a giant fan of science history and this book really blew me away. Anyone who enjoys the combination of technology/innovation/science and rich storytelling is sure to thrilled, but what really set this book apart from its peers is the incredible perspective and thoughtfulness Ainissa injects into each story. Most science history books I've read simply focus on the lone genius and his or her overly romanticized journey to the top of their respective fields. Ainissa doesn't shy away from the darker details of these characters and stories and her writing often forced me to stop for a moment and really reconsider some deeply held beliefs I had about everyday technologies (her chapters on photography and artificial light were particularly inspiring). My *only* critique is that I wish the photos and images pertaining to the different stories in the book were placed in line with those stories (instead of grouped together in the middle of the book) but I won't even let that knock a star off what I think is a truly perfect addition to my favorite genre.

As a chemist, educator, and passionate science communicator, I cannot understate how important and powerful Ainissa Ramirez’s “The Alchemy of Us” is as a work of writing! From the impassioned, personal opening, decrying the dulling of science that has unfortunately taken the bright curiosity of youth and crushed it with maths and tedium, to the brilliant looks at the important connections the elements on the periodic table have to us and the sometimes forgotten people who brought them to society, this book is invaluable in the way it highlights the human elements behind the atomic ones. Even more importantly, Ms. Ramirez brings to light the impact people of color have had on these important societal discoveries and transformations; she excels at making long-lost stories and amazing people known again, having been swept under the rug of misogyny and whitewashing that has plagued science throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries. Whether you are a research scientist, a casual reader, a student, an educator, or someone who longs for fresh perspective on the sciences, this book will shine for you!

Loved it all. Such a great book and explained very well.

Different from other similar books, but concise, with a different approach, easy to read and very interesting.

Growing up, science was bio, chem., and physics with little thought about the bigger picture. It wasn't that it wasn't taught, but with the syllabi so packed, there was little time to talk or think about it.Materials science is a recent discovery by myself and I've grown more and more interested about the interplay of materials and engineering.In The Alchemy of Us, Ainissa Ramirez uses a single verb to introduce each chapter and works backwards to show how the modern interactions came about. The topics include clocks, steel rails, copper communication cables, photographic film, light bulbs, hard disks, scientific labware, and silicon chips - all things we pretty much take for granted now. Moreover, Ainissa also looks at how these inventions have affected our own make up and patterns - the way we communicate, how we sleep, and how we remember things.The book is very easy reading and engaging, with each chapter it's own stand alone unit. Definitely worth reading if you can find it.