Chasing Molecules

Elizabeth Grossman has provided us all with a book that features some of the brightest minds and best ideas in Green Chemistry. It is called Chasing Molecules, and includes both heebie-jeebie inducing stories about toxics in our most local environments and also stories of hope. Chemists play both the role of hero and of villain in the stories she tells. It's refreshing to get a balanced message such as this.

Many of the Green Chemists she talks about are among my favorite people in the field: John Warner, Amy Cannon, Paul Anastas, Jim Hutchison, Richard Wool, Terry Collins, and others. I have met these people! What a hoot!

I have to confess I knew about the book but hadn't read it until I attended a meeting where Ms. Grossman herself was in attendance. I should have had her sign my copy. I hesitated. And I missed her. But her message is not lost on me. And I hope the book allows her to bring her message to a broad audience who will listen.

Thanks to all authors who have the patience and talent to write books that popularize science!