Plastic: The Making of a Synthetic Century

by Stephen Fenichell

In The Making of a Synthetic Century, Stephen Fenichell takes a fresh, irreverent look at the substance we all love to hate. The book moves from the early astonishment at such inventions as celluloid film and waterproof clothing; to the nylon-stocking riots after World War II; to the revolutionary, yet practical, proliferation of Tupperware in the '50s. Fenichell's sweeping assessment of the social and economic revolutions brought on by plastic extends from the sublime to the absurd, the beautiful to the mundane, demonstrating how scientists, artists, politicians, and the buying public have all molded, and also been molded by, plastic.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Chemistry, Science, Technology

368 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally finished! This book is a fascinating read, especially as a chemical engineer. The author is so snarky and smart, I found myself laughing aloud while learning useful things. Big thoughts I had reading the book: (1) America has always been full of entrepreneurs it's not a new fad. (2) This should be required reading for high school chemistry students - why isn't there a textbook that teaches chemistry through the lens of discovery? (3) The history of WW2 should include the story of the rush to develop synthetic rubber - raw material supply chains weren't covered much in my history classes. (4) imo we've come a long way as a chemical industry in terms of environmental health and safety.

[Bethany Buchanan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally finished! This was a great informative read. I love history and seeing how we got to this point where pretty much every has a plastic derivative was fascinating.

[Sarah Winkler]

"Plastic: The Making of a Synthetic Century" is an informative and thought-provoking book that delves into plastic's history, impact, and challenges. The book comprehensively explores how plastic emerged as a versatile material and became an integral part of our modern society.

The book offers a well-researched and balanced perspective on plastic's benefits and drawbacks. It highlights the incredible versatility of plastic, which has revolutionized industries such as transportation, healthcare, and consumer goods. It emphasizes the convenience and affordability that plastic has brought to our lives, leading to significant advancements in various sectors.

However, the book doesn't shy away from addressing the negative consequences of plastic production, consumption, and disposal. It sheds light on the environmental impact of plastic waste, including pollution of oceans, wildlife harm, and the challenges of plastic recycling. It raises important questions about the long-term sustainability of our plastic-dependent lifestyle.

One of the strengths its strengths is the exploration of the historical context and the societal factors that contributed to the widespread adoption of plastic. It examines the economic, cultural, and technological factors that propelled plastic to its dominant position in our daily lives. This historical perspective helps viewers understand the deep-rooted challenges in transitioning away from plastic. I find it particularly fascinating considering what it was like back 60 or 70 years at the dawn of the plastic era. If only they knew more about the negative impacts of plastic.

Overall, "Plastic: The Making of a Synthetic Century" is a compelling book that raises awareness about the multifaceted nature of plastic and its impact on our planet. It served as an invitation to reflect on my own plastic consumption and consider the responsibility we all have in finding and supporting sustainable solutions.

[Sacha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many wonderfully interesting pieces of history. A good outline of the history of plastics development.

In several chapters there would be a grand start then some folding of the timeline to work back to it. Not my favorite path.

[Riley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The First chapter on proto-plastics from the 1800's is a bit dry.

Moving one to see that commercial plastics were developed out of a need for a low cost alternative to replace ivory in billiard balls and rubber dental molds were the precursor to injection molding.

Celluloid collars and cuffs, and George Eastmans plastic celluloid film

For a book that has pictures of plastic forks and spoons on the cover, I had not expected defined a chapter on cinematography history. Edison refuse to believe that Lumiere's projection format was anything more than a cheap novelty. And isolated man, never fully capable of grasping how or why people communicated; he had originally regarded the phonograph as no more than a Dictaphone. Edison simply could not sanction the idea that people would want to watch movie pictures all packed together in rows of seated in a theatrical home. That smacked a vaudeville, and burlesque, while in starched colored high mind, a good movie what's meant to be watched, respectively standing up, appreciated in the privacy of one's mind.

Originally developed as a means of bringing an elite activity, billiards, the masses, celluloid at democratized still image by removing it from the refined world of painting – the traditional province of the aristocracy – and placing it in the hands of everyone. Once Edison/Dickinson punched holes in celluloid film, the moving picture he came – just like the celluloid color in the celluloid tortoiseshell cigarette case – a medium for the masses, not just the upper class.

Chapter 3, Bakelite
The rapid expansion of electrical industry that cause the price of shellac – derived from residence secretions of the female lac beetle to soar above a dollar a pound. As long as shellacs only widespread application was as a lacquer and preservative for wood Products, traditional third world production methods were efficient enough to meet the routine to man. But by the turn of the century, United States alone was importing upwards of 1,000,000 pounds of shellac a year.

Leo Baekeland's Bakelite was the first true synthetic material. It was a thermoset plastic which meant that once it was firmly set, it was set for life. Unlike shellac, Bakelite Woodburn, oil, belt, or dissolve in any acid commonly available

Chapter six nylon and Dupont
The first national test of nylon stockings would become in the day the morning of May 15, 1940, when fashionable women across America common determined to be the first in their set to show off a new pair of nylon stockings, awoke before dawn to take there place on lines snaking around selected downtown department stores for blocks as in Wilmington, only a limited allotment of stockings have been provided to an exclusive group of retailers, typically only one per major market. The scene duplicated hosiery counters are crossed America was invariably described as pandemonium though stampede came in a close second. Even with sales strictly limited to one pair per person, the entire National quota of 5 million pairs with swept out of stock before sundown.

Chapter 7 the vinyl solution
Japanese domination of Americas East Asian rubber supply line turned out to be far greater consequences to the long-term military security of the United States in the devastating loss of the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor. Well fortress America could build more ships and planes, no plane couldn't land, no truck or jeep move down the road, without repertoires to cushion its path.

Anything in natural material to do, a synthetic material to do apparently better. If before the war plastics image had been defined by frivolity, trumpery, and above all, a sleazy pretense that luck Sharee, by the time Teflon wasn't listed in the atomic bomb effort, plastic materials had matured under fire. But with a vast plant capacity still geared up to produce synthetic swords, The overwhelming question became come peacetime, how many plastic plowshares could the public be persuaded by without gagging?

Chapter 8 plastic – O – rams
Tupperware, formica, Silly putty, Velcro, pink flamingo lawn ornament, and yes the hula hoop all made of plastic. Wham-o's Hula hoop instructions: "hug the hoop to your backside, push hard with your right hand, now rock, man, rock! Don't twist, swing it! Sway it! You got it!" Wham-o's factory in San Gabriel, California, was turning out 20,000 hoops a day. Hula hooping was becoming the largest single use of high density polyethylene consuming over 100,000,000 pounds a day at the crazes peak.

[Drew Schwartz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plastic: The Making of a Synthetic Century was written by Stephen Fenichell in 1996 as a history of the plastics business. It describes the winding path that a wide range of plastics took from the lab to the marketplace. The book is filled with many, many interesting anecdotes about the entrepreneurs who blazed that trail.

The book is organized into 13 chapters arranged, mostly, in chronological order. There is the predictable, "Just one word......Plastics" cliche from The Graduate movie used as a preface. The book begins with a late 20th century scene setting chapter. Mr. Fenichell then rolls the clock back 150 years to explain the commercialization of rubber, which he properly calls "Nature's Plastic".

There are chapters about celluloid, Bakelite, and cellophane with historical vignettes about their respective titans named Eastman, Baekeland and Brandenberger. There is a dramatic account of the tragic life of Wallace Hume Carothers, the inventor of nylon. But my favorite chapter is the one entitled, "Plast-O-Rama" which highlights the ways in which post-war America went bonkers for all things plastic. From Silly Putty and Hula Hoops to Frisbees and Tupperware and Saran Wrap, it's all in this book.

Overall it thought that the Pro's of this book were:

It's a good historical overview of plastic
It's loaded with facts about plastic
And I thought the only Con of this book was:

The history is presented out of chronological order for no apparent reason
This book will be of interest to:

20th century pop historians
polymer chemists
plastic trivia buffs
anyone who makes their living selling or producing plastic
employees or former employees of Dupont, Rohm & Haas, Eastman Kodak, Ford Motor Company and General Electric
industrial designers
material science students
manufacturing entrepreneurs
environmentalists
Topics: history of plastic, environmental issues, nylon

[ActionScientist · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story on the invention of plastic. Like modern money it has become indispensible to capital economies (endless cycle of cash -> products -> cash) because it's conveniently dispensible and clogging the Earth's rivers and oceans with soda-pop, crisps and candy containers. At a billion tonnes of the stuff produced each year, most likely on drink and food containers and junk toys, it's a big growing mess. No solution in sight. I experience the ignorance of littering as heart-breaking, especially in Africa where trash is routinely thrown out of taxis and car windows en route (to keep them clean inside).

Don't miss the 'World's Bigest Garbage Dump' video about the effects of plastic in the oceans.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxNqzA...

[Nate · Rating 4 out of 5]

The history of plastic parallels the cultural history of America through the Industrial Revolution leading up through Vietnam. The politics involved and the unique plastics fanatics that saw the material through to its preeminent position perched upon a sterile and brightly colored throne of Industry.

[Angus Woodward]

Useful for anyone who would like a history (from its earliest development through 1996) of plastics--how they were "discovered" and developed by various tinkerers, chemists, and entrepreneurs, with some cultural history thrown in for good measure..

[Manny Llewellyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good book, although I found the post-WWII portion of the book felt rushed and much less information dense. Would have liked to see some further speculation on the future of plastics as well as the problems of plastics, or have seen the book edited just to cover the beginnings of plastics.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging and informative.

[Lydia Utami]

A very rich history of plastics with a very good sense of humour and cynicism .