Caesar's Last Breath: Decoding the Secrets of the Air Around Us
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.67 (839 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0316381640 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 384 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2017-08-20 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
Lively, witty, and filled with the astounding science of ordinary life, Caesar's Last Breath illuminates the science stories swirling around us every second.. And it has an epic story to tell.In Caesar's Last Breath, New York Times bestselling author Sam Kean takes us on a journey through the periodic table, around the globe, and across time to tell the story of the air we breathe, which, it turns out, is also the story of earth and our existence on it.With every breath, you literally inhale the history of the world. On the ides of March, 44 BC, Julius Caesar died of stab wounds on the Senate floor, but the story of his last breath is still unfolding; in fact, you're probably inhaling some of it now. Without it, you would die in minutes. The fascinating science and history of the air we breatheIt's invisible. Of the sextillions of molecules entering or leaving your lungs at this moment, some might well bear traces of Cleopatra's perfumes, German mustard gas, particles exhaled by dinosaurs or emitted by atomic bombs, ev
It gave this astronaut a new respect for the air around us all, and made me delightfully more aware of each breath I take."Col. Entertaining and quotable, Kean's writing is sharp, and each individual story brings the history of neuroscience to life. Wilson Literary Science Writing AwardOne of 's Best Books of the Year: Science One of The A.V. Good luck getting it back."Amy Stewart, author of The Drunken Botanist"Put your Netflix queue on hold. Eminently accessible and enjoyable."Robin McKie, The Guardian"A page-turner. this is a dose of fres
Science Book for Any Adult Reader R schultz Honestly, the first time I read one of Mr. Kean's books, it was for my book club. I thought it would be over my head. I WAS WRONG. I was so pleasantly surprised at the fluid story lines and attention to detail. Plus the humor in the book- who knew a science writer could be witty? This book is no different! I loved it and would recommend it to anyone- book club or no.. "Great look at the atmosphere" according to Steve G. This is the third book of Sam Kean’s that I’ve read; the other two were “The Violinist's Thumb” and “The Disappearing Spoon”. I loved the latter two, so I had high expectations for “Caesar’s Last Breath”. I was not disappointed. Once again Kean does some great storytelling, this time about the atmosphere. There is some science involved since it is necessary to understand the behavior of gases in order to understa. Collin Waltner said This book is an excellent addition to Sam Kean's catalog. This book is an excellent addition to Sam Kean's catalog. Kean is a pleasure to read. His chapters are accessible, enthusiastic, and informative. This book, like his others, is a carnival ride through history. You will find yourself at turns in prehistoric volcanoes, ancient Rome, 19th C. Europe, and even on a future space mission. Kean chooses these scenes to explain masterfully what might otherwise be some difficult science. In particular, the section on Caesar's
Wilson Literary Science Writing Award in 2013 and 2015, as well as the AAAS/Subaru SB&F prize. Sam Kean is the New York Times bestselling author of The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons,The Disappearing Spoon, and The Violinist's Thumb, all of which were also named top science books of the year. The Disappearing Spoon was a runner-up for the Royal Society of London's book of the year for 2010, and The Violinist's Thumb