Book Review - Wonderful Life with the Elements: The Periodic Table Personified

About the Book
Open a typical chemistry textbook and you'll find a slew of lifeless, geometric representations of various elements and compounds. Sure, these diagrams may describe the properties of each element, but they completely miss the personalities, the physiques, and, most importantly, the haircuts of nature's building blocks.

Wonderful Life with the Elements (No Starch Press, September 2012, 208 pp., $17.95, ISBN 9781593274238) grants readers a glimpse of elemental properties as seen through the brilliant and whimsical mind of famed Japanese artist Bunpei Yorifuji. In this book, each element is represented by an illustrated profile that reflects its unique properties in an intuitive, playful, and visually compelling way. Heavy elements are fat, minerals are dressed in skimpy tighty-whiteys ("to show off their healthy physiques"), and the easy going noble gases sport luscious afros. Every detail is relevant, from the length of an element's beard to the clothes on its back. Even the most playful aspects of Yorifuji's illustrations are grounded in the element's real properties and provide meaningful connections that help readers learn and understand the periodic table.

"When you're introduced to chemistry in the right way, you learn how fun and interesting it can be. But make things hard and boring and you can spend countless hours banging your head against your textbook," said No Starch Press founder Bill Pollock. "Wonderful Life with the Elements promises to give chemistry that extra spark and inspire readers to learn more.

About the Author
Japanese artist Bunpei Yorifuji is well-known for his series of humorous ads for the Tokyo metro, "Do It At Home," which show riders doing inappropriate activities on the subway. He is the author of several books in Japanese, including Milk Century and The Catalogue of Death.

My Take on the Book
Chemistry was always the bane of my existence in high school, and whenever I see the Periodic Table, I am reminded of my experiences in high school when I had to struggle through the class and understand! bonds and molar value ( I still get confused by it today)! In reading through this book the author has made the concepts easy to grasp and utilize. They also make the Periodic Table fun. Though crazy looking illustrations, the book makes chemistry fun for all (Even the non-science fan). I also loved how the book goes into the elements and where you would see them in society today, thus making the active learning tangible. This was a great, easy read that will challenge and educate you!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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