Candid Science: Conversations with Famous Chemists - Softcover

"... Istvan Hargittai ... is brilliant at drawing his subjects out, tactfully asking them the right questions and thus providing us with an insider view of what chemistry in the 20th century has been like ... these people are extraordinarily successful chemists, and enthusiasts for it. They make the book delightful to browse. Maybe it will, as it should, produce enthusiasts in its turn; it should be on everyone's bedside table." Chemistry & Industry "... the conversations in this book encapsulate a time that is past, and leave the reader with a comforting glow ... the editor has conducted his interviews with sympathy and collected his material with care. For this, he is to be commended. His book will be enjoyed by chemists and non-chemists alike." Nature "... I found this book exceedingly hard to put down. Because such intimate revelations are usually not made public, this work constitutes a valuable historical document and is one that I feel should be read by every chemist." Chemistry in Britain "This book, of course, can be opened on any page and read with pleasure. The personal speaking style of the text, in contrast to laboriously written paragraphs, makes it easy reading ... There is plenty of useful information, interesting adventure, and valuable advice in the text. The book will be enjoyed by all who have some interest in chemistry, and is highly recommended." Australian Journal of Chemistry

In this book, 36 famous chemists, including 18 Nobel laureates, tell about their lives in science, the beginnings of their careers, their aspirations, and their hardships and triumphs. The reader will learn about their seminal discoveries, and the conversations in the book bring out the humanity of these great scientists. NMR spectroscopy, computational chemistry, the drama of buckminsterfullerene, the story of the Pill, the politics of atmospheric chemistry and the resonance theory, the beginnings of molecular mechanics and modern stereochemistry are examples of the topics discussed first-hand by, in all likelihood, the most appropriate persons.