major new book on the Periodic Table

The Periodic Table: Its Story and Its Significance, by Eric Scerri

This book is being published by Oxford University Press on Sept 15th,
2006.

price: $ 35.00 (hardcover, 400 pages), 74 illustrations.

for a full description see the OUP webpage,
http://www.us.oup.com/us/catalog/gen...=9780195305739

Reviews:
"Written to a high standard of scholarship, "The Periodic Table" is
the only book of its kind currently on the market, giving both an
historical and philosophical perspective to the development of this key
to the elements. The philosophical discussion Scerri weaves through its
pages is rarely found in chemistry books, giving it a special quality
that will appeal to the scientific community at large. In years to come
it will be seen as essential reading for all who aspire to lecture and
write on the subject."
- John Emsley, author of "The Elements" and "Nature's Building
Blocks"

"As the author of "The Periodic System of Chemical Elements: A
History of the First Hundred Years" (1969), I consider Scerri's "The
Periodic Table: Its Story and Its Significance" a worthy successor. I
declare his new book a must, not only for all historians of chemistry
and the other natural sciences, but also for the scientists and pupils
thereof."
-- Jan W. van Spronsen, author of "The Periodic System of Chemical
Elements: A History of the First Hundred Years"

"Few concepts are more important in chemistry than the periodic
table, and Eric Scerri's book offers a wonderfully thorough, lucid, and
provocative introduction for both chemists and the scientifically
literate to this major cultural contribution. Anyone interested in the
foundations of chemistry will take delight, inspiration, and
information from this highly approachable book."
Peter Atkins, author of "The Periodic Kingdom", "Molecules" etc.

"The periodic table of elements is the family tree of stuff, and Eric
Scerri's book tells the story of its evolution--through all the false
starts and inspired insights, mutations and selections, driven by
philosophy as much as calculation. Like any family story, it's a messy
tangle of relationships--between elementary particles and between
people. The ultimate question is philosophical: Does it all boil down
to different configurations of hydrogen? Or is chemistry--and therefore
nature--ultimately irreducible?"
K.C. Cole, Author of "The Universe and the Teacup: The Mathematics of
Truth and Beauty" and "Mind Over Matter: Conversations with the
Cosmos".

Advance orders can be placed with Amazon.com at,
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/019...g=UTF8&s=books

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