Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
The Alchemy of Air: A Jewish Genius, a Doomed Tycoon, and the Scientific Discovery That Fed the World but Fueled the Rise of Hitler
by
Thomas Hager (Goodreads Author)
Tragic genius, cutting-edge science, and the discovery that changed billions of lives–including your own.
At the dawn of the twentieth century, humanity was facing global disaster: Mass starvation was about to become a reality. A call went out to the world’s scientists to find a solution.
This is the story of the two men who found it: brilliant, self-important Fritz Haber a...more
At the dawn of the twentieth century, humanity was facing global disaster: Mass starvation was about to become a reality. A call went out to the world’s scientists to find a solution.
This is the story of the two men who found it: brilliant, self-important Fritz Haber a...more
Paperback, 336 pages
Published
August 18th 2009
by Broadway
(first published 2008)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
1,130)
The Alchemy of Air is brilliant science writing, which means that it reads more like a bracing adventure story than a science lecture.
At the turn of the 20th century, an impending crisis faces the world: mass starvation. The earth simply can't yield enough food to keep up. The only men that can save the world are chemists tasked with the impossible: distilling nitrogen from the air.
Thomas Hager's writing pulses with intrigue and sweeps us away into a cast of characters that includes manure tyco...more
At the turn of the 20th century, an impending crisis faces the world: mass starvation. The earth simply can't yield enough food to keep up. The only men that can save the world are chemists tasked with the impossible: distilling nitrogen from the air.
Thomas Hager's writing pulses with intrigue and sweeps us away into a cast of characters that includes manure tyco...more
An excellently written story about two tragic scientists who discovery of how to extract nitrogen from the atmosphere fed billions and killed millions.
After explaining the important role nitrogen plays as a fertilizer and as an explosive, The Alchemy of Air then traces the history of the two tragic German scientists (Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch) who discovered a process that allowed nitrogen to be pulled from of air.
A great read!
After explaining the important role nitrogen plays as a fertilizer and as an explosive, The Alchemy of Air then traces the history of the two tragic German scientists (Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch) who discovered a process that allowed nitrogen to be pulled from of air.
A great read!
2 likes · like · see review
view all 4 comments
The synopsis in Goodreads covers the general course of the book, but puts more emphasis on the final outcome than the process, which does not reflect the relative focus of the book. This book does an excellent job of explaining the need for nitrogen fertilizers, the history of the commercial trade, and just how difficult is was to develop the process to convert nitrogen gas to ammonia. Some of the science is slightly off the mark, but is not critical to the story.
What was left out of the review...more
What was left out of the review...more
There has been much discussion as to what is the most important invention in human history. Is it the wheel, the lever, or maybe the transistor or the light bulb? This issue will never be resolved but this book covers what is perhaps the most important discovery that very few people know about; the production of synthetic fertilizer.
In 1800 the population of the world was about 1 billion people and Malthus predicted that it could not increase much beyond that because the earth could not supply...more
In 1800 the population of the world was about 1 billion people and Malthus predicted that it could not increase much beyond that because the earth could not supply...more
I work in the fertilizer manufacturing industry- so, I am here to tell you this is not a technical tome of science and engineering, although it feebly tries. It is the tragic story of how in the early 20th century, somehow plowhares, inexpensive fertilizer to feed the hungry masses, morphed into the swords of the Nazi war machine.
The individual stories of the inventors of the modern process to manufacture synthetic ammonia, Nobel prize winners Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch, are equally tragic, with...more
The individual stories of the inventors of the modern process to manufacture synthetic ammonia, Nobel prize winners Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch, are equally tragic, with...more
Nitrogen is essential for life. However, it is abundant in our atmosphere in an essentially unusable form. Plants and animals, including humans, require a form of nitrogen scientists refer to as "fixed nitrogen", which is rare. Natural forms of reintroducing fixed nitrogen exist with rotting plants (compost), certain nitrogen producing crops (peas and beans), and animal dung. In the late 19th century, the lack of fixed nitrogen created a human population limit concern and put the planet at risk...more
This author (or editor) really has to do something about his titles, which are not only way too long but also misleading. This book is primarily about the history of nitrogen fertilizer and the development of nitrogen-based weapons. For the most part it is quite fascinating, although it might contain a tad too much technical detail for some readers. Fritz Haber, who discovered the most workable process for fixing nitrogen from the air, was more a compulsive workaholic than a genius. Carl Bosch w...more
Fascinating history of the Haber-Bosch process for making ammonia (and then nitrate-fertilizer or nitric acid or munitions).
The main part of the book - the story of German Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch and their quest to be the first to fix nitrogen from the air on a large commercial scale - is book-ended by 2 equally interesting sections.
The first focuses on what the world did before the Haber-Bosch process - use bird guano and naturally occurring nitrate deposits (especially from Chile) - and how...more
The main part of the book - the story of German Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch and their quest to be the first to fix nitrogen from the air on a large commercial scale - is book-ended by 2 equally interesting sections.
The first focuses on what the world did before the Haber-Bosch process - use bird guano and naturally occurring nitrate deposits (especially from Chile) - and how...more
Call it "sensational science" - a great story about (of all things) fixing nitrogen from the air, which involves slavery, U.S. land annexation, a Jewish scientist, WWI poison gas, BASF, the rise of Hitler....easy to read non-fiction and too fascinating to put down!
I was excited to read this after reading a prior book he had written, "The Demon Under the Microscope". It was a good decision. Hager has an awesome ability of take many areas of history and combining them into all story that I wish more authors have the talent of doing.
In this book, Hager puts into play the world's problem of overpopulation that was brought to attention before the 20th century and what was the solution? Fertilizers! How this led to technology that became dangerous in Nazi hands...more
In this book, Hager puts into play the world's problem of overpopulation that was brought to attention before the 20th century and what was the solution? Fertilizers! How this led to technology that became dangerous in Nazi hands...more
An extraordinary read. It's a story of scientific advancement used for both good and evil: the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into fertilizer to feed the world ("air into bread") but also to produce nitrates for explosives and poison gas which fueled the German war efforts in both both world wars - and the Holocaust. At the center is the tragic figure of the German Jewish chemist Fritz Haber winner of a Nobel prize in chemistry and the German Iron Cross in World War I but despised and exiled...more
Mar 21, 2013
Jon Edward
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
people interested in history, industry, popular science
Shelves:
popular-science,
history
Although I think the title of this book is misleading, I enjoyed every minute of it. Don't expect a solid scientific text; rather expect enough of the science to understand the stories of people and nations throughout the last two centuries involved in the mining or production of nitrogen -- mostly as fertilizer, but also as a weapons (gunpowder, synthetic gasoline, mustard gas) -- then what happened to those actors after they had made their discoveries.
It's only a little about the Third Reich,...more
It's only a little about the Third Reich,...more
A well written and well researched book that covers the scientific discovery and commercialization of fixed nitrogen via ammonia-a substance that is in such pervasive use in today's world that we don't even think about it.
An interesting story, not dryly presented, but animated with the stories of the main characters brought to life.
While the scientific story is fascinating, the human story is too, culminating in the coexistence and cooperation of Germany's largest company/industry (3rd largest...more
An interesting story, not dryly presented, but animated with the stories of the main characters brought to life.
While the scientific story is fascinating, the human story is too, culminating in the coexistence and cooperation of Germany's largest company/industry (3rd largest...more
This book is a very readable history of nitrogen which left me feeling like the story of nitrogen really needs a lot more attention. I'm no scientist so i can't analyze for you the science underlying this book, but it makes a lot of sense and seems really important, not to mention interesting. I would have liked it if Hager had gotten more into depth regarding the negative implications in respect to agriculture. On the other hand, he provides enough information for me to fill in the blanks and d...more
A good review of pre- and post-WWI Germany and the German chemical revolution (Planck, Einstein, Nernst, and of course Haber and Bosch), the rise and fall of BASF, and how it essentially fueled Hitler's war machine. Interesting and kind of tragic personalities at work. The book did not cover much chemistry, surprisingly, but instead focused on the history, personalities, and industry behind fixing nitrogen into fertilizer and explosives.
I never knew that the War of the Pacific (sometimes called...more
I never knew that the War of the Pacific (sometimes called...more
Interesting tale about the development of the Haber-Bosh process, which made it possible to produce fertilize by converting nitrogen from the air into ammonia. It also helped fuel Germany's war machine in World War I and World War II, because the same compounds could be used to make explosives.
The book is likely to be even more interesting to those with some knowledge of chemistry, but its treatment of the science is sufficiently light that almost anyone could read it for the history of technolo...more
The book is likely to be even more interesting to those with some knowledge of chemistry, but its treatment of the science is sufficiently light that almost anyone could read it for the history of technolo...more
May 05, 2013
Eddy Allen
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
arts-and-historical
A sweeping history of tragic genius, cutting-edge science, and the discovery that changed billions of lives—including your own.
At the dawn of the twentieth century, humanity was facing global disaster. Mass starvation, long predicted for the fast-growing population, was about to become a reality. A call went out to the world’s scientists to find a solution.
This is the story of the two enormously gifted, fatally flawed men who found it: the brilliant, self-important Fritz Haber and the reclusive,...more
At the dawn of the twentieth century, humanity was facing global disaster. Mass starvation, long predicted for the fast-growing population, was about to become a reality. A call went out to the world’s scientists to find a solution.
This is the story of the two enormously gifted, fatally flawed men who found it: the brilliant, self-important Fritz Haber and the reclusive,...more
Fascinating book about the two men who were instrumental in developing synthetic fertilzer. It was an interesting look at history and the real changes their invention/discovery has meant for human beings--both good and bad. It was amazing to me to learn so much I didn't know about how necessary nitrogen is to the food supply. Haber & Bosch discovered a way to pull N2 "out of the air" and change it into the ammonia that is necessary to make fertizer. This discovery has it's good side which is...more
A fascinating back-story of the pre-eminent position nitrates held in human lives and how a chemical process averted genocide by starvation for the human race, and lets the present civilisation live way beyond the means of "organic" production.
Also engrossing is the story of inventors Carl Bosch and Fritz Haber and their different paths and contributions to modern science and society, and of course the jewish-nazi conflict. A very good book because it draws a parallel between an earlier crisis t...more
Also engrossing is the story of inventors Carl Bosch and Fritz Haber and their different paths and contributions to modern science and society, and of course the jewish-nazi conflict. A very good book because it draws a parallel between an earlier crisis t...more
1 like · like · see review
Jan 21, 2009
Yofish
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Yofish by:
WaPo review Dec 2008
Shelves:
read-science-y
An interesting story, but less of what I wanted. Also, seemed written in a slightly patronizing tone. It's about the discovery of a method for turning Nitrogen in the air (which is plentiful) into fixed Nitrogen (less plentiful, but necessary for things like plant growth). Good background introduction, about getting guano off islands near Peru, and then the right kind of salts that seemed limitless in the plains of India and, well Peru. But not enough for the world's needs. A German chemist sort...more
Well, now I know a shitload about nitrogen that I will promptly forget about in a few days.
Many times during this (very well-written) book I found myself wondering, now why do I care about two unpleasant scientists and the inner machinations of a ginormous corporation? But I kept on reading. This is a testament to the eminent readability of Hager (or should I say Hager's eminent readability?). Hager's the kind of guy who could make a nitrogen-fixing machine seem like a riveting drama.
How bout th...more
Many times during this (very well-written) book I found myself wondering, now why do I care about two unpleasant scientists and the inner machinations of a ginormous corporation? But I kept on reading. This is a testament to the eminent readability of Hager (or should I say Hager's eminent readability?). Hager's the kind of guy who could make a nitrogen-fixing machine seem like a riveting drama.
How bout th...more
p. 274 "What is known is that nitrogen pollution in the water ends up feeding blooms of algae and weeds that turn waterways green and cloudy. It can get so bad that it cuts off sun reaching the depths, killing life below. As the vegetation dies and rots, it pulls oxygen out of the water. As oxygen levels go down, bottom-dwelling animals, shellfish and mollusks, begin to die off. The animals that feed on them starve. Toxins begin to collect. Freshwater systems begin to die.
A fascinating history of the development of the Haber-Bosch process to fix nitrogen. The author takes a look at how this critical invention has saved billions of lives from starvation, but doomed thousands or millions by fueling the German war machine in WW1 and WW2. While the author wasn't a scientist, and so was not able to give as many scientific details as I would have liked, he did a great job of keeping the story interesting and fast paced.
May 25, 2012
Bdalton
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
adult-history-non-fiction
Great narrative non-fiction that connects personal glory and tragedy with history. Discusses scientific discovery of taking nitrogeon from the air to make fertilizer - an innovation that has allowed the earth to support larger populations - but which also led to the creation of poison gas in World War I and the gassing of Jews during World War II. Good reminder that what we do in life can impact us in unanticipated ways.
A very interesting look at the historical ramifications of the the Haber-Bosch process and the effects it had on feeding the world's exploding population at the turn of the 19th century and also how it fueled the German war machine in World War I and II. In a few chapters of the book, the author offers conjectures that are presented as truth without providing references to sources which could support his opinions.
Probably my favorite book of the year. An extremely well written history of one of the most important, and least known, scientific accomplishments of the 20th Century. (Please don't talk to me about cars or computers, without synthetic nitrogen, half of the world would never have been born, and modern warfare would look very different). The stories of the people involved are fascinating and tragic.
A great story that most people know nothing about, but should. Nitrogen is abundant in the air, but frustratingly difficult to fix into a form farmers can use as fertilizer. Two German scientists figured out how to do just that in the early 20th century, and their efforts fueled both two great wars, as well as the expansion of the world's population over the next 100 years to a figure previosuly unthinkable. Presently, massive "Haber-Bosch" plants dotted around the world labor 24 hours a day to...more
1 like · like · see review
Mainly about how Carl Bosch & Fritz Haber made fixing atmospheric nitrogen viable commercially, it also looks at earlier commercial sources of Nitrogen (guano mining from Peruvian islands, sodium nitrate mining in Chile, as well as how Bosch ended up helping Hitler (esp. with synthetic gasoline, a spin off from nitrogen fixation technology) despite opposing Hitler's anti-semitism.
Very interesting story of little known subject . . . the discovery and use of nitrogen and how it produces an abundance of food production . . . and the story of the two men who discover how to manufacture it the lab. The narrator Adam Verner did an excellent job in telling the story as well. Definitely worth a listen and the results which are still affecting us today . . . over 100 years later.
Two scientists, both credited with advancing the biggest discovery that directly influenced the course of human civilization in the 20th century - the ability to extract nitrogen from the air on an industrial scale. To provide bio-available nitrogen for growing plants and providing an abundance of the key ingredient to make bombs....what a contrast!
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Author of six books of nonfiction about the ways in which science and technology change people's lives.
More about Thomas Hager...
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
