Stuff: The Materials The World Is Made Of

by Ivan Amato

The way our world is, how it got there and where it's going, is a direct result of the stuff we make other stuff out the metals, composites, ceramics, plastics and semi-conductors found in every man-made thing around us. From antique china to airplanes, transistor radios and supercomputers--from the Stone Age to the Electronics Age and far beyond--science writer Ivan Amato takes us ona remarkable journey through a breathtaking universe of enlightenment and challenge; revealing the secrets, exploring the astounding histories, introducing us to the genius personalities behind the discoveries, and unveiling the glorious future and possibilities of Stuff.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Engineering, History, Chemistry, Technology

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Parchment Books]

“Stop reading this book. Instead, hold it in your hand. Feel its weight. Run your finger over a page and feel its smooth texture, its dryness. Sense the page’s compliance to the pressure of your finger. See how its whiteness is punctuated with black symbols printed in ink in a few dozen rows. If you sniff the page, you may even smell some aromatic chemicals still fleeing from the ink. Rub the page between your thumb and forefinger and hear that familiar papery noise. Twist a corner and see how the paper crinkles. Rip the page and see how the ragged edges hint of the tiny wood fibers that become entangled at a mill to become the paper…”

This feeling is familiar to all bibliophiles. We are more in love with the book as sensual object, its presence and demeanor, than we are with the arguments and blather contained within. Perhaps that makes us shallow. But is it any different from the way collectors of any kind relate to their collections?

STUFF is a fascinating tour of everyday life, lifting the veil on the objects we interact with regularly with hardly a thought about where they come from or what they are made of. Far from mere curiosity, this exploration is deeply important as we come to grips with the shadowy side of our consumption and obsession with “stuff”.

The plastics industry may be a corner stone of our world, but it is also reliant on dwindling oil resources. Deforestation and desertification are the known results of our consumption of trees as raw material. And the precious metals required by our cell phones and other high-end technology are frequently obtained under oppressive conditions by violent autocrats.

But with our conscience hard at work seeking alternatives, there is plenty of room left to celebrate our often overlooked but nevertheless intimate relationship with the world of “stuff”. Join Mr. Amato as he guides us in learning the nuances of what stuff this dream of modernity is made of.

Regards,
Librarian

Stuff: The Materials the World is Made of
Ivan Amato
$9 Hardcover, like new

talkingleavesbooks.wordpress.com

[Cara W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had bought this awhile ago - probably 1998 or so. The publication date was 1997. The latest reference seemed to be 1994. Now it is 2019 - this book is "old". But had worthwhile information - and a lot of it. Started with the beginning of "materials engineering" - when rocks were used to chip other rocks to get sharp edges. Up to "band-width engineering" to designed materials - rather than trial and error.

A lot of things were already in the works (quantum wells).

Written for the general public - but higher than that in some cases.

Pretty interesting. Writing not bad.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very well written for a chemistry/engineering book. I learned a lot about the history of materials, the ways we used to develop materials, the ways we currently do this, and some of the specific stories of materials that have worked out and those that have failed miserably (asbestos, for example).

[Beth Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed it, mostly because the subject matter of materials science is dear to my heart and I love reading the stories surrounding it. It's not as accessible to the non-enthusiast as some other popular science books I've read, but whether that's a flaw depends on your point of view. I learned some new things and understood others better than I had before.

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good overview of the origins of materials science, but unfortunately it had quite a few editing issues. These included things like using an unfamiliar acronym five pages before the acronym is identified, repetition, and graphics with inadequate captions.

[Brendan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another one with no glossary. Not as good as Ball's books