In a somewhat surprising turn of events, yet another one of the books I have read this year is nonfiction. The Alchemy of Air by Thomas Hager was recommended to me a few weeks ago by my chemistry teacher. I decided to read it, because for some reason unknown to me, I always end up liking the books recommended by science teachers (the most important example being Richard Preston’s The Demon in the Freezer, one of my all time favorite books). After completing this book, I can certainly say that this still holds true, because this was an amazing read.
Do We Want to Turn the Page?
Warning! This next section may contain spoilers about the book. Also, all ratings are based entirely on my opinion and WILL be biased and subjective.
I never thought I would say this, but learning about the Haber-Bosch Process was fascinating. The way the story is told, even though from the beginning you know what will happen -billions of humans did not die out of mass starvation during the twentieth century- the book is still incredibly interesting, bringing you through the steps of developing the Haber-Bosch process and later the plants, and the blowbacks it had for the world as well as for its inventors. To me, that was the most fascinating part: how a machine that was meant to help the world ended up developing the things used to kill, and why, throughout it all, Bosch stuck by his work. Ultimately, not only was the Alchemy of Air a story of chemistry, but it was also the tale of how one idea can change the world. It should thus not come as a surprise that for me, this is a 5/5 read.
The Summary:
A sweeping history of tragic genius, cutting-edge science, and the Haber-Bosch discovery that changed billions of lives—including your own.
At the dawn of the twentieth century, humanity was facing global disaster: Mass starvation was about to become a reality. A call went out to the world’ s scientists to find a solution.
This is the story of the two men who found it: brilliant, self-important Fritz Haber and reclusive, alcoholic Carl Bosch. Together they discovered a way to make bread out of air, built city-sized factories, and saved millions of lives.
But their epochal triumph came at a price we are still paying. The Haber-Bosch process was also used to make the gunpowder and explosives that killed millions during the two world wars. Both men were vilified during their lives; both, disillusioned and disgraced, died tragically.
The Alchemy of Air is the extraordinary, previously untold story of a discovery that changed the way we grow food and the way we make war–and that promises to continue shaping our lives in fundamental and dramatic ways.
The Author:
Thomas Hager is an American author and writer of popular scientific and narrative nonfiction.
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