Through Alchemy to Chemistry: A Procession of Ideas & Personalities

by John Read

Broad, humanistic treatment concentrates on the great figures of chemistry and the ideas that revolutionized the science, from earliest history to the modern era. Much of the book is devoted to alchemy, but also the development of modern chemistry: atomic theory, nature of the elements, beginning of organic chemistry, much more. 50 illustartions.

Genres: Science, Chemistry, Alchemy, Nonfiction

206 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1957

Reviews

[Willy Acosta · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit strange - Although very concise, I was thrilled that I found and started reading this book recently. This was one of those books I completely devoured in terms of time dedicated to thinking about it and reading. This book is a gem in terms of portraying the doctrinal, theological, and mythical connections alchemy has had and still does have today. This book is straightforward in its overall flow which I like very much.
Another thing I love about this book is that it does a great job in explaining the interrelation there is with the basic popular elements (water, fire, earth, air) and how their positions in the figurative (diamond) Aristotle's theory of elements can be replaced or substituted with other elements on the periodic table.
This book gave me a brief introduction for the first time to the sulfur mercury theory, which, because of how general the explanation was as well as how thorough enough it was to spike interest into the topic, I am finding myself wanting to seek for similar theories that would place alchemy into a much more understandable framework as the sulfur mercury theory. This book also introduces the reader to various authors which contributed to the historical alchemical procession, while also providing supplemental references authored by the man himself (John Read.)

One of my favorite sections of the book involves emblematic illustrations that give the subject of alchemy a sort of prophetically symbolical expression, since I am very much interested in theology and prophecy in some respects, I find that the occult and symbolic expressions through art forms kind of scratches that "itch" within me :)

This book contains humor, like in ways that I thought was not possible for this subject to contain.
I also very much appreciate the consideration given by John Read that Alchemy/Chemistry should be viewed and studied with that same mode one would any subject found within humanities. I believe that this would hold true for any subject that would not be classified immediately as a subject belonging to the category of humanities mainly because obviously every subject studied and developed through time most definitely was and will continue to be researched and developed by personalities in history that may or may not have been influenced by the accepted ideas of living and thinking, and for this reason it would only make sense that even technical subjects merit the type of approach appropriate to humanities, since innovative development permeates every area of research regardless of its subjective focus.

A spectacular read on the generals of Alchemy and the progression towards Chemistry. This book will strike you with a higher dose of curiosity towards deeper and more specialized areas of this subject. Highly recommend.

I kind of ask myself how this book even exists...