A short history of chemistry

the long version

The easy style and the sympathy for the reader that have made Isaac Asimov one of the most successful writers on science of all time are applied here to the fascinating history of Professor Asimov's own field of specialization. From the Bronze Age to the Nuclear Age the story of the step-by-step advance through the mysteries of the elements is recounted, and the impact of the great discoveries on civilization through applied chemistry is set forth in all its drama.