Book&Art: Napoleon's buttons

Written by Francesca Di Turo

Translated by Sarah Fortunée Tabbakh

Italian Version here

» Napoleon’s buttons: how 17 molecules changed Penny Le Couteur & Jay Burreson’s story

The book can be found on Amazon

Napoleon’s Buttons is surely one of the most enjoyable essays one might chance upon. I bought it almost by mistake, because I had to buy a good book, and, like all things that happen inadvertently, I’d say it was one of the best buys I had ever made.

The authors, both chemists, reveal how life changed with one of the most important discoveries in the field of chemistry – and they are “only” 17 molecules! The narration is light and pleasant, all the while being exceptionally thorough.

What does it have to do with art? Well, in the ninth chapter, they talk about colourants, and how Perkins accidentally produced the first artificial colour. If you aren’t particularly fond of colours, they mention cellulose in the fourth chapter and silk in the sixth chapter. You don’t need to be a chemist to appreciate and love this book. It is like reading a story in which the protagonists are these molecules that discreetly changed our lives.