Taming the Atom: The Emergence of the Visible Microworld

Rating:
Summary: No praise is high enough...
Review: I have wished for a book like this all of my life; I thought I'd never find it. If only there existed authors in all areas of science (& other fields, for that matter) who could summarize the complexities & histories in their respective fields in such a fascinating, accessible, & eloquent way, the world would be a much better place; & if such books were made required reading in public schools & universities, citizens would be more informed & understand their world to a significantly greater extent. I would absolutely be "beside myself" in academic ecstasy, & would treasure all such books--but if asked which one I would take "if stranded alone on a desert island", it would be "Taming the Atom". I cried tears of joy while reading this book; this book facilitated my understanding of various concepts & realities that I could not have obtained otherwise without reading, processing, & synthesizing information from massive amounts of material (& I would not have had the time). I owe a debt (of gratitude) to Dr. von Baeyer which I can never repay; I thank him beyond words for having taken the time to exercise his talent for explanation, & presenting complex concepts & facts in such an accessible, enjoyable, engaging, & fascinating manner; lastly, his writing makes what is priceless, rare, & extremely difficult (aiding in the successful comprehension of a multitude of complex concepts via the written word) seem so easy. I appreciate his work more than I can express. I am in the process of acquiring every book he has written--they will be permanent "residents" in my library, & will be with me for the rest of my life. I am spreading the word of this man's wonderful talent to those who work in various bookstores, & anyone I encounter who has an interest in these sciences (chemistry & physics). If only I could be so fortunate as to have him as a professor, or be privileged to attend any lecture or seminar he might give... I thank him for a book that is so beautiful & important to me; I've loved science all of my life, & always asked "why" when examining the world around me--had a book like this been available to me as a child, I have no doubt that my life today would be very different. I plan to make sure that the public library in the city in which I grew up has a copy of every book Dr. von Baeyer has written, with the personal intention that any child in that city with an interest in science & the means to visit said library, has opportunities @ early comprehension of so much... I thank him & am deeply grateful for his having written this book...