A Cultural History of Chemistry

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Selected as a CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title 2023

From prehistoric metal extraction to medieval alchemy to modern industry, chemistry has been central to our understanding and use of the physical world as well as to trade, warfare and medicine. In its turn, chemistry has been shaped by changing technologies, institutions and cultural beliefs. A Cultural History of Chemistry presents the first detailed and authoritative survey from antiquity to today, focusing on the West but integrating key developments in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and the Arabic-Islamic and Byzantine empires.

Chapter titles are identical across each of the volumes. This gives the choice of reading about a specific period in one of the volumes, or following a theme across history by reading the relevant chapter in each of the six. The themes (and chapter titles) are: Theory and Concepts; Practice and Experiment; Sites and Technology; Culture and Knowledge; Society and Environment; Trade and Industry; Learning and Institutions; Art and Representation.

The six volumes cover: 1 Antiquity (3,000 BCE to 600 CE); 2 Medieval Age (600 to 1500); 3 Early Modern (1500 to 1700); 4 Eighteenth Century (1700 to 1815); 5 Nineteenth Century (1815 to 1914); 6 Modern Age (1914 to the Present).

Volume 1 is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives v4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) license. Open access is funded by the European Research Council.

The page extent for the pack is 1728pp. Each volume opens with an Introduction and concludes with Notes, Bibliography, and an Index.

The Cultural Histories Series
A Cultural History of Chemistry is part of The Cultural Histories Series. Titles are available both as printed hardcover sets for libraries needing just one subject or preferring a one-off purchase and tangible reference for their shelves, or as part of a fully-searchable digital library available to institutions by annual subscription or on perpetual access (see www.bloomsburyculturalhistory.com).

A Cultural History of Chemistry is part of The Cultural Histories Series. Titles are available as hardcover sets for libraries needing just one subject or preferring a tangible reference for their shelves or as part of a fully-searchable digital library. The digital product is available to institutions by annual subscription or on perpetual access via www.bloomsburyculturalhistory.com . Individual volumes for academics and researchers interested in specific historical periods are also available in print or digitally via www.bloomsburycollections.com .

Reviews

[R]emarkable ... Learning about the history of chemistry through this outstanding set will also provide an interesting starting point for obtaining information regarding the origins of the associated disciplines. * CHOICE *
Provides a fresh view of the history of chemistry, with analysis and discussion that surpasses the frequent presentation of notable individuals, chemical processes, and discoveries. By considering the full impact and interplay of society with chemical practice, a much more complete representation is achieved. As such, this series marks a valuable addition to the study and knowledge of the history of chemistry. * Substantia: An International Journal of the History of Chemistry *
A unique, comprehensive and rich treatise review of Volume 1 * Mary Virginia Orna, Bulletin for the History of Chemistry *
This book succeeds in presenting an overview of the subject as well as numerous references to more detailed information. It provides an overview of many of the most important names in medieval alchemy review of Volume 2 * Carmen J Giunta, Bulletin for the History of Chemistry *
This volume will be valuable to readers both in whole and in part review of Volume 3 * Jennifer M Rampling, Bulletin for the History of Chemistry *
An excellent complement for students as much as an enjoyable read for those interested in the history of chemistry and the history of science in general review of Volume 4 * Leonardo Anatrini, Bulletin for the History of Chemistry *
A welcome addition to the literature on chemistry in the nineteenth century review of Volume 5 * Ann E Robinson, Bulletin for the History of Chemistry *
Educational, and fun to read review of Volume 6 * Roald Hoffmann, Bulletin for the History of Chemistry *

Author Bio

Peter J.T. Morris is Research Associate at University College London, UK, and former Keeper of Research Projects at The Science Museum. He is author of The Matter Factory (2015), Science for the Nation (2013), Illuminating Instruments (2009), and From Classical to Modern Chemistry (2002).

Alan Rocke is Professor of History at Case Western Reserve University, USA. His books include From the Molecular World: A Nineteenth-Century Science Fantasy (2012) and Image and Reality: Kekul, Kopp, and the Scientific Imagination (2010).