Die Elemente Bausteine Unserer Welt (2010) - Plot & Excerpts
The genre of non-fiction is mainly informational and contains facts but could possibly contain opinions. Non-fiction is not stories and may include textbooks, informational texts, “how to’s” or biographies. They can be about any subject like history, science, mathematics, people’s lives or cooking. The Elements starts by introducing the periodic table. It explains its structure and how the elements are grouped based off common characteristics. It then goes on to explain specific details about each element of the periodic table, specifically their uses, properties and where it is found. In this book, the atoms and their descriptions are organized according to their atomic number, Hydrogen(1) being the first. There are also photos of each element in whatever form they can be viewed in. This book contains an index, which helps to roughly identify which elements have which qualities.I think The Elements is organized in a way that helps readers access information because it is laid out in the order of atomic numbers so they can easily find the element that they are looking for. The layout of information for each element is consistent because it provides a short text summary, visuals of its usage and location and includes basic statistics for each one. The background of the pages is black and the text is in white and silver ink which makes it easy to read the information and helps the reader focus on the text instead of being distracted by the other visuals.It is interesting to read because the author writes with a personal touch even though it is nonfiction. Nonfiction tends to be written in a “matter of fact” way. It helps the reader connect to the material because at times it feels like you are having a conversation with the author. The author seems like an expert because he explains the information clearly and can tie in personal connections at the same time. The author does insert his opinions at times but it is easily identifiable when he does. People can gain knowledge not only about elements but their existence in the world around them and how they work. The author did a good job writing the summaries and explaining the purpose of each element. I also liked how he used the pictures and captions to explain each element. He could improve the layout by providing a table of contents because not everyone knows the atomic number of the elements so may have a hard time finding specific elements without the atomic number. Non-fiction books are a whole new world for those coming from a fiction type background. The constitution of these books is entirely different than those in fiction books. Fiction books are dedicated to entertaining and the demonstration of culture. Non-fiction books are dedicated to the education and understanding of real world topics. Because of this, this entirely changes the way we think about books. We, when we were younger, thought of books as pieces of writing bought by your parents for your own personal enjoyment and entertainment (Calvin and Hobbes, anyone?). We used to think of the few non-fiction books that we read of as boring, old stacks of paper meant for people that are only as boring as the gentlemen in a WWII London’s gentlemen's club.This book, in my opinion, is for people that need a dictionary-type index of all of the elements in the world. I think that this is a great book for its purpose, and it is definitely something that I would recommend. This was just a blast. The pictures were cool, and I loved learning about each element's real-life uses. The text is fun to read, and I cracked up often. The author inserts his own little opinions about the world. For instance, he rails against the inefficiency of incandescent light bulbs. (I was surprised he didn't mention that mercury is in compact fluorescents.) There are just a few editing errors.I came across a periodic table with these pictures at the Chabot Planetarium. It was the best-looking periodic table I'd seen, so I got it. A few months later, I saw this companion book at a school book fair and had to get it. If you like chemistry or particle physics, you should enjoy this.Some of my favorite bits:"The other elements of the first column, not counting hydrogen, are called the alkali metals, and they are all fun to throw into a lake. ... Depending on whether you took the right precautions, this is either a thrilling and beautiful experience or the end of your life as you have known it when molten sodium sprays your eyes, permanently blinding you.""These properties, combined with its high cost and poisonous nature, account for the unique niche beryllium has carved out for itself: missile and rocket parts, where cost is king, and where working with toxic materials is the least of your worries.""Some elements can be experienced in large quantities, like the 135-pound iron ball I keep in my office for people to trip over. Others are best enjoyed in responsible moderation -- keep too much uranium in the office, and people start asking questions. (Keep over 15 pounds, and the Feds start asking questions.)"
What do You think about Die Elemente Bausteine Unserer Welt (2010)?
A coffee-table type of book, written with wry humor, surveying the known elements with beautiful glossy photos of items containing them. The author is an "element collector". Everyone who collects anything collects elements, but this breed collects things for the specific elements they contain. Among the expected lectures on the properties and uses of elements, the book has stories of collecting: how to buy radioactive Americium at Walmart, which dens of iniquity sell Niobium and Uranium, and the frustration that collectors find with Francium. The author takes considerable pride in his collection, much of which form the subjects of the stunning photography.In this book, the elements seem to develop personalities through the stories and amazing facts surrounding them. I learned facts that it would be difficult to find anywhere else, such as which kind of alkali element makes the best tasting salt; which is the best element for murder by poison; which side is right in the great Iridium/Osmium density controversy.The author also loses no opportunity to ridicule popular elemental fads, both past and present, both benign and horribly dangerous.
—Ken
I thought that this book was great because it talks about the all the elements in the periodic table. I think this book would be best for a person who likes science and if you need to learn the first 36 so you wont fail your class. My favorite is when they talk about californium, the element named after the one and only California. That one is one of my favorite elements. A the end of this book, it shows a picture of the actual periodic table... at first I thought the periodic table was just the model that they use in your science text books. I didn't think it was an actual table with all the elements on it. I also thought this book was very informational because it doesn't just tell you what the element can do, it also can tell you what its used for. I would recommend this book to any of my classmates that like learning about science.
—Bella
Very good book on basic chemistry with some really great pictures.
—tonimamasum
