The Poisoner's Handbook

Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York
Deborah Blum

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=125502336&ft=1&f=1033

WOW - What a book! Science teachers will especially enjoy the history behind the elements of the periodic table as these elements are used in poisons and toxins. The book itself follows the story of the two men who founded forensic science in New York City (New York City?!). Charles Norris and Alexander Gettler worked many years to find methods to detect toxins during autopsies. Their trials were magnified by the politics of Tammany Hall, since, in many cases, the political body did not want cause of death to be recorded.

Blum wrote a very readable book. Listen to the interview at the link above - I think you will enjoy it.

Comments

Strange History

This book is exactly what it promises - bits of information delivered quickly and primarily for entertaining purposes. Being published by the Bathroom Readers Institute, you will appreciate its delivery and humor. Strange History by Bathroom Readers' Institute Printers Row Publishing Group Portable Press

Marie Curie: a Life, by Susan Quinn

Just like most of you, I read Eva Curie's biography of her mother when I was around 10 or 11 years old (mine was is the Reader's Digest for Young Adults). I was, like you, inspired. Recently, I saw the reenactment of Marie Curie by Susan Marie Frontczak, produced on film by Jen Myronuk. The presentation was AMAZING! I really did feel as if Marie Curie was telling her story just to me. MSTA will be discussing sponsoring this presentation at a conference in the future. Susan Marie Frontczak talked with the audience via Skype after the presentation. She told us that she had read Eva Curie's biography in her preparation, but she relyied on the Susan Quinn biography for much of her research and dialogue. I knew I had to read this book, so I downloaded it to my Kindle that very day! The book is, of course, enlightening. I just happened to be reading about Marie's viewing the total eclipse the night before our total eclipse in August. I stopped so I could read th...

Dragon's Teeth - by Michael Crichton

What a fun story based on history! The plot winds around the animosity between paleontologists Marsh and Cope, as told by a fictional member of the dig party. We are taken (in the form of our protagonist, William Johnson) to the Badlands, Deadwood, into Indian raids, labeled as a traitor, attacked on all sides by all kinds of people, and then we get home a changed young man. If you know history, you will enjoy they way Crichton weaves momentous events and remarkable historical persons into the story. You will find yourself thinking "I know what's coming," because you do, if you know anything about the WEST in the 1870's, or know some of the background with Marsh and Cope. I listened to this story as a traveled each week, getting about 2 hours of the book on each trip. After each two hours, I wanted more, but I forced myself to wait for the next week. I was sad to be finished with it yesterday.

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