Peter Macinnis Book order

Poisons permeate our world. They are in the environment, the workplace, the home. They are in food, our favorite whiskey, medicine, and well water. They have been used to cure diseases as well as incapacitate and kill. They smooth wrinkles, block pain, stimulate and enhance athletic ability. In this entertaining and fact-filled book, science writer Peter Macinnis considers poisons in all their aspects. He recounts stories of the celebrated poisoners in history and literature, from Nero to Thomas Wainewright, and from the death of Socrates to Hamlet and Peter Pan. From cyanide to strychnine, from Botox to ricin and Sarin gashave you ever wondered about their sources? Where do they come from? How do you detect something that can kill you in a matter of seconds? Macinnis methodically analyzes the science of these killing agents and their uses in medicine, cosmetics, war, and terrorism. With wit and precision, he weighs these questions and many more: Was Lincolns volatility caused by mercury poisoning? Was Jack the Ripper an arsenic eater? Can wallpaper kill? For anyone who has ever wondered and been afraid to ask, here is a rich miscellany for your secret questions about toxins.

"The A Social History" explores the strange coming-together of means, opportunity and motive in the middle of the nineteenth century, and the lasting social changes that followed when the lawn emerged as the dominant feature of the modern built environment. After the lawn, leisure time would never be the same again. This book explains, in fascinating detail, how the lawn mower was the key enabling technology that let grass dominate the environment. And how, the enabling technology that in turn allowed suburbs to exist was commuter transport - as only suburbs gave enough space between and around the houses for lawns to fit. The author goes on to explain how mowers and suburbs would not have been enough to drive the lawn craze if people had not firmly believed that ownership of a lawn was proof that the owner was a person of status and wealth. "The A Social History" takes the reader on a compelling journey that explains the origins of the lawn and how it changed the very way we live. Illustrated with contemporary images, this absorbing exposition on how the lawn, which we all take for granted, has become an integral part of our very existence.

The Speed of Nearly Everything is a fascinating almanac of facts, statistics and stories about the speed of virtually everything - speed records; comparative speeds; relative speeds; optimal speeds; fastest speeds; slowest speeds; human, animal, mechanical and natural speeds. These are gathered together in an easy-to-follow, original design, and explained in an engaging narrative by leading science writer Peter Macinnis. The statistical element is supported by fascinating discussions, historical anecdotes and speed trivia, both serious and silly.

The history unfolds from 70 B.C. China, detailing the evolution of rockets from simple bamboo structures filled with gunpowder to advanced interstellar satellites. It highlights the pivotal role of American Robert Goddard, who inspired a 20th-century movement of space enthusiasts. Their collective vision recognized rockets as essential for pioneering early space exploration, marking significant milestones in aerospace development.

Tracing the journey of sugarcane from New Guinea to Shakespearean England, this exploration delves into the rich history and cultural significance of sugar. It highlights intriguing anecdotes, such as Queen Elizabeth I's fondness for sweets leading to her dental decay. The narrative examines the political and social ramifications of sugar cultivation, emphasizing the wealth amassed by a select few through the exploitation of slave labor. It also discusses the wars and geopolitical changes that arose from the sugar trade, shaping the modern world.