The Age of Alchemy: How Early Innovators Shaped Modern Chemistry

by Kit Chapman

Reach through time and across continents to see the history of chemistry as it's never been told

'Glittering' PHILIP BALL
'Superb' TIM MINSHALL

The first chemists were Sri Lankan forgers who crafted unimaginably strong steel millennia before it should have been possible. They were alchemists in Roman Egypt, who designed apparatus still in use today. They were Stone Age leatherworkers, Tang Dynasty herbalists and Mayan stoneworkers.

The Enlightenment is usually credited with the origins of chemistry, but in truth, the science blossomed gradually. As early innovators distilled, smelted, forged and fermented their way through the centuries, they blurred science and mysticism in search of answers to life's greatest mysteries.

Join Kit Chapman on a global quest to achieve immortality, cure all disease and transmute lead into gold as he reveals the illuminating stories of how the alchemists first broke new ground and shaped the scientific method.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Science, Audiobook, Chemistry

320 pages, Hardcover

First published April 30, 2026

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Dr Kit Chapman is an award-winning science journalist. Formerly an editor for Chemistry World, Kit’s byline can be seen in Nature, New Scientist, The Daily Telegraph, Chemist+Druggist and BBC Science Focus among others.

Kit appears regularly on radio, TV and podcasts, and has given talks to thousands of students around the world on science, writing and history.

Born in the UK, Kit holds a masters degree in pharmacy from the University of Bradford and a PhD in the history and philosophy of science from the University of Sunderland.

Reviews

[Nikola]

3,5/5

[Sandesh Joshi]

I was going into the book expecting to get engaged and curious as it plays right into my interests, history and science. But it was a surprisingly (pleasantly) well written. The way Kit Chapman made me emotionally invested in the stories he was telling around the scientific discoveries, the scientists and alchemists involved, was astonishing and beautiful. A chapter reads like a thriller, another reads like a tragedy, multiple outcomes and even footnotes, downright funny, crossovers that are just mentioned and deserve books of their own!; and nowhere in the book, even a hint of a lull. I am still reeling over from having read this book and how it made me feel, and how much!

[Ollie Bestall]

Audiobook

[Flo]

Loved it, so many random facts

[Jessie]

I really enjoyed learning all about this history. I learned a lot about chemistry and enjoyed it overall

[CytataRuda]

DLACZEGO: 01. Współpraca z @wydawnictwoznakpl 02. Opis brzmiał niesamowicie ciekawie.
OPINIA: W liceum średnio lubiłam chemię, może dlatego, że nie trafiłam na nauczyciela, który przekazałby wiedzę w ciekawy sposób. Musiałam czekać prawie dwadzieścia lat od skończenia szkoły średniej, żeby na takiego trafić.
Bo dokładnie tak widzę opowieści autora. Nie dostajemy tu suchych przykładów, ale mam wrażenie, że Pan Kit Chapman jest niezłym „bajarzem”, bo czyta się jego przykłady jak jakąś powieść fabularną, a nie książkę popularnonaukową.
Dostajemy tu wiedzę nie tylko z zakresu chemii, czy tam alchemii, a także historii, fizyki, czy mitologii, a także baaardzo wiele naprawdę interesujących ciekawostek, bo przypuszczam, że niewielu z nas wie dlaczego Matka Boża zawsze ma niebieskie wdzianko i dlaczego Brytyjczycy "dilowali" opium w Chinach. Ja już po lekturze książki wiem.
Świetnie mi się to czytało, zupełnie nie jak jakiś naukowy "bełkot", informacje podawane są w prosty, przystępny sposób, a do tego są ciekawie i okraszone odrobiną humoru.
PODSUMOWANIE: Ciekawa nie tylko dla tych zainteresowanych chemią, ale także historią, ale może przede wszystkim dla tych, którzy lubią słuchać opowieści tego jednego dobrego wujka, który z pasją opowiada ciekawe historie. Polecam.

[Julian Walker]

An engaging and entrancing history of chemistry - with, of course, the added allure of dream of turning base metals into gold.

Well researched and engagingly written I was hooked from start to finish.

An immersive experience and enjoyable read.

[Isaac Inyang]

modern chemistry came from early innovators, if you are curious about knowing, read this book

[Alice]

4.25 stars. Interesting.

[Abbie]

works really well as an audiobook