“I cannot think of anyone else who is able to present this chemical history tour with such precision and clarity… Ball is witty, wise, and delightful.” Pedro Cintas, Angewandte Chemie
“The whole book is full of vivid characters, pointed anecdote and insightful comment, and is a delight to read.” Martyn Berry, Chemistry & Industry
“The book provides no less than the first analysis of [beauty in] chemistry. The intellectual strength of the book is that it provokes you to think about how aesthetic values are related to experimental virtues.” Joachim Schummer, Hyle
Royal Society of Chemistry (2005) ISBN 0-85404-674-7