A newly typeset edition of the classic 1853 biography of Toussaint L'Ouverture; the brilliant military leader who defeated Napoleon's generals and liberated the slaves of Haiti.
#30158 in Books Tarcher 2004-05-24 2004-05-24Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.96 x .95 x 6.00l; .92 #File Name: 1585423319384 pages
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Very interesting and informativeBy Kevin SlatteryGood opening story; drawing in the significance of chemicals and their impact on world events. However; the narratives gets pretty technical after that and the book needed a few more example stories to keep the relevance going. Overall; I did enjoy the book and learned a tremendous amount about several chemicals and elements and their impact on the history of man. I would recommend to others who like to delve into the details a bit more than the average reader.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. As always with great books like this oneBy CustomerDelightful reading. As always with great books like this one; I wish I had heard these stories ages ago. I recall how distasteful I found studying organic chemistry as a young college student. These authors turn an otherwise noxious subject for me into a wonderful; creative; and entertaining journey into reasons and rationales for the various paths of history; knowledge; and culture. Fascinating. I'm sure when students walk into their lecture halls they are met with incredible and knowledgeable professors of organic chemistry; and the stories they can tell. Wow!47 of 47 people found the following review helpful. Lots of interesting factoidsBy W. GrossI enjoyed this book very much. Each chapter is devoted to a particular molecule; e.g.; glucose; silk; phenol; salt; etc.; and discusses both its chemical structure and its significance to civilization. To a former engineer who somehow escaped even a smattering of organic chemistry; this book explained a lot in an easy-to-follow manner. The authors illustrate each molecule schematically; and in many cases show how a subtle difference in structure can lead to dramatic differences in chemical behavior. Makes me wish I had studied organic chemistry in college.The chapter on oleic acid (olive oil) was particularly interesting. I now understand what is meant by "saturated fat"; "monounsaturated fat" and "trans-fat"; and why soap works. A lot of information; easily absorbed.My only quibble is that the authors thought they had to conclude each chapter with a few paragraphs about "how this molecule changed history". That got tiresome; fast.
