Science Book Reviews

The Chemical History of a Candle

Michael Faraday was a great experimental scientist developing the first electric motor, generator and dynamo along with discoverying electromagnetic induction along with inventing the science of electrochemistry. However he was famous in his own day for his hugely popular demonstration filled science lectures, which were the talk of fasionable London. This book is based on a series of six lectures he gave in the 1880's about the chemisty involved in a candle burning.

His lectures contained experiments from splitting a cast iron jar by freezing it, through the properties of hydrogen to setting light to an iron bar in pure oxgen. He doesn't just do wonderful experiments, he also explains what is going on, to the limits of science in the period, in a beautifully approachable way.

Despite the slightly patronising style and archaic language, the wonder of his demonstrations and his immense lecturing skill seem to span the 120 odd years making me wish I could have been in the Royal institution lecture theatre during his lecture.

Dave Ansell