Publication

2004-05-24 - Jeremy P Tarcher

Language

English

Word Count

96,000 words, Guess

Page Count

384 pages

Physical Format

Paperback

Identifiers

and 4 more
  • LibraryThing134710
  • Library of Congress Control Number2004045987
  • Better World Books9781585423316
  • Open LibraryOL8816485M

Classifications

  • LCCQD37.L34 2004
  • LCCQD37 .L34 2004

Description

Napoleon's Buttons is the fascinating account of seventeen groups of molecules that have greatly influenced the course of history. These molecules provided the impetus for early exploration, and made possible the voyages of discovery that ensued. The molecules resulted in grand feats of engineering and spurred advances in medicine and law; they determined what we now eat, drink, and wear. A change as small as the position of an atom can lead to enormous alterations in the properties of a substance-which, in turn, can result in great historical shifts.With lively prose and an eye for colorful and unusual details, Le Couteur and Burreson offer a novel way to understand the shaping of civilization and the workings of our contemporary world.

First Sentence

CHRISTOS E. ESPICIARIAS!-for Christ and spices-was the jubilant cry from Vasco da Gama's sailors as, in May 1498, they approached India and the goal of gaining untold wealth from spices that for centuries had been the monopoly of the merchants of Venice.

Subjects

Other Editions

  • Napoleon's Buttons: How 17 Molecules Changed HistoryPaperbackJeremy P Tarcher2004-05-24

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