What a fantastic overview of chemistry! Kate Biberdorf takes a complicated subject and makes it accessible and fun. Her passion for chemistry and how it relates to everything in the world is contagious. I loved the tangible examples and use of humor throughout.

Highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to feel "less dumb" or inadequate when it comes to science subjects. It's an accessible read I can see being very useful for teens and parents alike who are studying (or helping their children study) the periodic table of elements and other chemistry processes. It includes a helpful glossary and index, easy to flip back to parts with an overview and then moving into tangible, everyday processes.

“I strongly believe we can make the world a better place with a love of science,” says the author in the Introduction. Yet, as Dr. Biberdorf acknowledges, chemistry is a largely unloved discipline. Like almost all books in the crowded science-for-the-general-reader section, <i>Chemistry on Fire</i> aims to make the subject less intimidating and more relevant, and it succeeds to a large extent. The first four chapters describe the basics, such as atomic structure and bonding, and the last eight explain the chemistry behind our everyday activities, such as cooking, cleaning, exercise, and putting food in coolers. Overall, it's accessible and generally easy to follow. It would be a good introduction for a teenager thinking of taking a formal course, or for adults wondering what they missed by not studying the discipline. A few references to popular culture may date the book too quickly, but it's a good -- although not absolutely essential -- purchase for public, high school, and undergraduate libraries.