The Age of Alchemy

Hugely entertaining … a globetrotting, time-travelling account of the roots of chemistry – Patricia Fara * BBC History Magazine *
At last alchemy has an entertaining and accessible introduction to match the colourful lives of its practitioners. With Kit Chapman as our guide, we discover the global reach of the alchemists and come to a new appreciation of the work that laid the foundations for modern chemistry. Timely and essential, this is great storytelling. – Hugh Aldersey-Williams, bestselling author of THE PERIODIC TALES
Fascinating… argues that alchemists and early experiments, were not a wrong turn off the road to modern scientific method, but an essential part of the journey – Tom Sutcliffe * BBC Start the Week *
This is my favourite sort of book, one that effortlessly blends science, global history, travel and human stories to fascinate and delight. Chapman is an expert storyteller who takes us through time and space to unravel the mysteries of the past – Roma Agrawal, author of NUTS & BOLTS
The most enjoyable introduction to alchemy I have ever read. In The Age of Alchemy, Kit Chapman has transmuted a ponderous mass of painstaking research into a glittering confection of science and history – Phil Ball, author of HOW LIFE WORKS
Kit Chapman’s book delivers a surprise on almost every page. Each chapter delivers a beautiful summary of the long and fascinating journey through millennia from the magical to the scientific - via alchemy, gunpowder, tea and much more! Kit is a superb tour guide for this journey, linking places, people, time and knowledge in such an accessible and engaging manner – Tim Minshall, author of YOUR LIFE IS MANUFACTURED
Brilliant – Professor Dame Ijeoma Uchegbu, author of CHAIN REACTION
Kit Chapman has gone deep into the arcane back-alleys of alchemy and come back with a vibrant cast of prophets, heroes, martyrs and geniuses. In doing so, he helps restore alchemy to its rightful place, central to the development of the scientific tradition – Philip Marsden, author of UNDER A METAL SKY
A delightful, rigorous, and compelling history offering an exciting new model for writing the history of science * Kirkus Reviews *
Fascinating stuff .. this romp through the history of alchemy takes as its focal point how the traditions and writings of craftsmen, physicians, charlatans and ‘professors of secrets’ shaped modern chemistry … an accessible book that’s stacked with intriguing asides and stories - like Mary ‘the Jewess’, Paracelsus, Ibn Sina and Jabir from the Islamic Golden Age – Sophie Charara, 10 mind-expanding non-fiction books for Spring * Shortlist *
A fascinating account of the history of alchemy and how it eventually morphed into the science of chemistry. Very well written and very readable - make sure you read the pithy and entertaining footnotes! A copy of this book should be on every chemist’s bookshelf – Penny Le Couteur, author of NAPOLEON’S BUTTONS
An awe-inspiring history of a critical scientific discipline * Publishers Weekly *
A whirlwind tour of the chemical arts … [Chapman] brings lesser-known figures into play … illuminating his historical case studies with lucid accounts of the underlying science … This is a very engaging read – Jennifer M. Rampling, Associate Professor, Princeton University * Nature Journal *
PRAISE FOR KIT CHAPMAN * : *
This deeply researched and engaging tour of the nether reaches of the periodic table will delight and inform everyone – Philip Ball
With meticulous attention to detail and careful research, Chapman masterfully captures the excitement, politics and competition of the transuranic elements – Jess Wade
Chapman writes engagingly about the benefits motor racing has brought to a climate problem that needs all hands on the wheel * Financial Times *
With meticulous attention to detail and careful research, Chapman masterfully captures the excitement, politics and competition of the transuranic elements. Chapman’s energy and enthusiasm is evident in every interaction, whether he is uncovering elaborate experimental details or unearthing scientific rivalries – Jess Wade
Making elements that don’t exist in nature is one of the craziest, most painstaking and bold pursuits in all of science, and Superheavy tells that story for the first time, with wit and verve. This deeply researched and engaging tour of the nether reaches of the periodic table will delight and inform everyone from the expert to the reader with only the dimmest memory of the iconic chart of chemical elements on the school lab wall – Philip Ball

Kit Chapman is an award-winning science communicator and adventurer. He holds a Master’s degree in Pharmacy and a PhD in the History of Science. He currently works as a lecturer at Falmouth University.

Chapman has contributed to various publications, including Nature, New Scientist, Chemistry World, and the Telegraph. His work has led him to over 100 countries, where he has uncovered remarkable stories from the forefront of scientific discovery.

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