Reading progress update: I've read 33 out of 400 pages.

The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements - Sam Kean

Yeah, I'm late to the party but I have just made it through the first chapter.

 

"Made it through" will give you an indication of my impression so far.

 

I've recognised some of the information about the "geography" of the periodic table and the reasons for how elements are put in order, but I found the bits that I didn't recognise rather incomprehensible...or rather explained badly and leaving me with no idea where Kean was going with this, and certainly not interesting enough to skip back and try to make sense of it.

 

Also, I hope the examples and stories will expand from a US focus later on in the book.