Past Books
Meeting #13
The Poison Squad: One Chemist's Single-Minded Crusade for Food Safety at the Turn of the Twentieth Century
by Deborah Blum
Meeting occurred on June 9, 2025
Recap coming soon.
Meeting #12
The Tide: The Science and Stories Behind the Greatest Force on Earth
by Hugh Aldersey-Williams
Meeting occurred on April 28, 2025
Recap coming soon.
Meeting #11
Lake Invaders: Invasive Species and the Battle for the Future of the Great Lakes by William Rapai
Meeting occurred on February 3, 2025
When you were a kid, did you ever wonder what happened to the classroom pet once summer vacation started? One might think a student or the teacher volunteered to take it home, but for many pets, these animals were dumped in waterways that lead directly into the Great Lakes. This is just one example of how invasive species came to be in our lakes. Lake Invaders: Invasive Species and the Battle for the Future of the Great Lakes by William Rapai reveals several invasive species putting our Great Lakes in danger, while also mentioning the controls that have been established to mitigate and eradicate these harmful species. Most participants in this meeting recognized the invasive species mentioned, and some people were surprised when they realized that it wasn’t too long ago that some of these invasive species were discovered. It has only been since 1990 that the round goby has been considered an invasive species in the Great Lakes! Many recalled instances of trips to the beach where quagga muscles would be found, unexpectedly by the sharp edges of the shell with one’s foot, and related that these species have become a regular sight. The book did a great job of describing the different types of invasive species, the dangers of allowing the species to be unchecked, and what methods or controls have been put in place to manage the species. It was thought that maps of the waterways, lakes, or rivers be included as a quick reference for the readers unfamiliar with the exact location of some of these bodies of water. Overall, the book was an eye opener that captured the thoughts of people that call the Great Lakes state home, and triggered a follow-up response to investigate whether the bureaucracy is slowing down the efforts made by local conservative groups that share an end goal of ensuring the Great Lakes remain a natural beauty of the Midwest.
-submitted by Alicia
Meeting #10
Trees: A Rooted History by Piotr Socha, Wojciech Grajkowski
Meeting occurred on November 25, 2024
This virtual club meeting, we dived into an illustrated book on trees – and all things trees. This book covered everything remotely tree-related, from the tallest to the widest, the oldest, to how they spread, to what lives on them or in them. The contents expanded to lumberjacks, topiaries, bonsai, wooden instruments, art, and treehouses. We collectively agreed some of these spreads may have been 'grasping at straws,' to fill up a book. But there was no doubt that the illustrations were impressive and when the authors tackled sacred trees and trees in religion, they were inclusive. This book’s target audience ranges from middle-aged school children to young adult. There were few Latin origin references, little italicizes. The book shared a story how a road was moved so an old tree could survive; we could relate because of the tree in Rochester Hills that prevents the road from widening. Members shared their funny stories of trying to care for bonsai trees & topiaries, ukulele instruments originating with Hawaiian trees passed down from grandparents, and visiting Sequoia and Red Wood trees. This would be a good book for light reading, if you wanted to go without the botany.
-submitted by Carmen
Meeting #9
What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World's Most Enigmatic Birds by Jennifer Ackerman
Meeting occurred on October 28, 2024
Owls have slowly grown in popularity over the past couple decades, whether it’s due to a magical pet snowy owl or the nostalgic resurgence of the décor trend of the 1970s, and the behavior and personality of owls is still being researched. What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds, by Jennifer Ackerman, discusses an owl’s mating habits, feeding preferences, nesting locations, while also setting the record straight for some of the common myths surrounding the owl. One reader was glad the author skipped over the evolution of owls while another was disappointed. Advances in technology have made it easier to study owls, but book club members found it interesting that some scientists still use pointer dogs to help locate the well-hidden nests. Surprisingly, owls are not often the makers of their own nests, but rather find residence in an abandoned nest or hollow tree. The wildfires in Australia over the past few years have devastated many of the nesting sites for some owls, but with conservation efforts, the owl population remains steady. These conservation attempts and educational programs help diminish any stigma surrounding owls and their mythical or mysterious behavior. Depending on the culture, owls have been associated with evil connotations and resources have been provided to communities as a way to educate the people on the ecological importance an owl has in hopes of saving particular owl species from extinction. We found this book focused on the behavior of owls than strictly science. We appreciated the backstories of the people involved in studying owls and shared our own stories surrounding owls: décor, educational programs, and US conservation controversies. Whether it is an owls' large eyes, which let in twice the amount of light as a human, or their captivating mating calls, owls remain a well appreciated surprise if you are lucky enough to see one in the wild.
- submitted by Alicia
Try the owl acoustic matching game here.
Meeting #8
Empire of the Sum: The Rise and Reign of the Pocket Calculator by Keith Houston
Meeting occurred on September 9, 2024
Five friends gathered at a frozen yogurt shop to discuss Empire of the Sum, a book exploring the history and impact of calculators, starting with what came first: the Pocket? or Counting? As we enjoyed our treats, the conversation flowed from the book's themes to personal stories about their first calculators or, for some, slide rules. One shared fond memories of receiving slide rules as a gift, for another, that the item was a luxury item and the family could not afford it, while another recalled the week-long dedication to learning how to use a slide rule in high school chemistry class, before even looking at the Periodic Table. Nostalgia filled the air as they reminisced about how these devices shaped their education and changed their careers - including the development of spreadsheets - which was a conclusive ending to the book. What took someone hours at their teenager newspaper job, became simplified. One reader shared their preference for VisiCalc. We noted key figures mentioned in the book; some of the names were familiar, such as John Napier, Blasé Paschal, and Katherine Johnson. Another reader noted they were surprised that cash registers were left out. One young reader was not as impressed with the book because they didn't grow up as calculators were being developed. Still, another young reader still found the book fascinating and expressed gratitude that calculators were allowed in their college courses, in particular, chemistry! Overall, this was a great group discussion and the majority enjoyed the book.
-submitted by Carmen
Meeting #7
Periodic Tales: A Cultural History of the Elements from Arsenic to Zinc by Hugh Aldersey-Williams
Meeting occurred on June 10, 2024
Seven readers gathered at a gourmet chocolate and ice cream shoppe. Our conversation started with a resounding, "yes" - to if we enjoyed the book. We liked the author's tone and writing style. We shared our favorite elements we liked learning about: radium, cobalt, francium... We noted there were many references to colors, which must be why the cover art was chosen. One reader had this book on their shelf, admitting the cover was contributing factor for the purchase of the book! Another reader had received their copy in 2016 as a birthday gift - the gifter wrote in the front cover, stating how proud they were of the recipient for having become a chemist. We talked about chromium and its reference to the automobile industry in Detroit; the designer being the the 'da Vinci of Detroit'; this led to talking about other Michigan references like charcoal (Kingsford Charcoal), the mining in the Upper Peninsula, "Pine tar" residue in the river, and Gastown in East Grand Rapids - named for its use of phosphorous yellow gas to light the streets. Further, the fluoridation of water was first performed in Grand Rapids, Michigan. One reader noted the non-American author for their hilarious/but true point, "Well over half of Americans drink fluoridated water today - as near to free universal health care as that country comes, perhaps” (Page 140). We also found it interesting to learn of how elements' names came to be.
-submitted by Carmen
Meeting #6
Around the World in 80 Plants by Jonathon Drori, Illustrated by Lucille Clerc
Meeting occurred on April 22, 2024 - Earth Day
Our last Detroit Science Book Club met on Earth Day, which was perfect timing given the title being Around the World in 80 Plants. The book had sturdy pages filled with beautiful detailed illustrations by Lucille Clerc. There was not a single white page. Our discussion started with Milkweed and the trending effort to make our gardens fit for pollinators. But don't use the wrong variety of milkweed, or you'll be stuck with an invasive weed. To the shock of our members, people's yards have received passive aggressive notes for too many dandelions! If you're following any plant pages on Facebook, it is the time of year for native plant sales. Next, the group discussed the plants author Jonathon Drori chose for the United States. Was it offensive for tobacco and cannabis to have been featured? The Cook Pine was also featured and no one in our group had heard of that particular pine tree before now. Also, we discussed finding Pitcher Plants and if they can be found in our home state of Michigan. They can be found at Bishop Bog Preserve in the western side of the state in spring or early summer. Ironically, Castor oil, or ricin, was featured in for one country and we recalled that tidbit from a past book we read by Sam Kean, The Icepick Surgeon. Someone recognized the Soybean plant, which gave them the answer in a game of Trivial Pursuit. Yerba Mate (Argentina) was mentioned to be the most unique and surprisingly plant for one reader. For another, they were surprised to learn Henna (Palestine), comes from a plant, though it seems obvious now. Lastly, we collectively were surprised that Fox Glove was not featured in the book.
-submitted by Carmen
Meeting #5
The Secret Lives of Color by Kassia St Clair
Meeting occurred on February 12, 2024
For most people, the brain subconsciously chooses a color and deems it a favorite, and while reading The Secret Lives of Color by Kassia St. Clair, the reader is given a choice of reading about his/her favorite (or least favorite) in whichever order the reader chooses based on the unique format of the book. The book is broken down into blocks of short stories based on color, but not before learning of ways people view color and a short introduction to hue and chroma. Readers learned that bulls cannot see the color red, but rather are triggered by the swish of the cape, mummy is indeed made from mummies, and that every-day products such as makeup or strawberry blended drinks from a well-known coffee chain once contained cochineal, a pigment made from the cochineal beetle. Readers wished that the book had contained more modern references, such as how color is related to the automobile paint market, and they were somewhat disappointed that the book did not provide more applications or uses for the colors, pigments, or dyes. A common reference in several of the past DSBC books has been Scheele’s Green, which contained arsenic, and when it was discovered that it was slowly killing Napoleon through his wallpaper or added to peppermints because it looked like powdered sugar, people realized the color wasn’t as innocent as it looks.
- submitted by Alicia
Meeting #4
The Icepick Surgeon: Murder, Fraud, Sabotage, Piracy, and Other Dastardly Deeds Perpetrated in the Name of Science by Sam Kean
Meeting occurred on November 6, 2023
In the midst of new scientific discoveries, some members of the scientific community have crossed ethical and moral boundaries for the sake of personal ambition which has led to some of the crimes committed in The Icepick Surgeon: Murder, Fraud, Sabotage, Piracy, and Other Dastardly Deeds Perpetrated in the Name of Science by Sam Kean. The book spans from the time in which Cleopatra was ruling in Egypt up until modern day. Each chapter is a different story (crimes nonetheless) of individuals that have contributed to the science community. Surprisingly, some individuals are well known for their positive advancements in science, such as Thomas Edison and the electric current, or Eunice Rivers who provided aid to people suffering from syphilis in Alabama. Many textbooks idolize these scientists and praise their experiments that have led to new discoveries, so it is understandable how many people do not ever truly learn of the heinous crimes that were perpetrated during the early stages of experimentation. As someone who has studied science, Kean limits any bias towards the individuals and does not openly defend the crimes committed, but he acknowledges that some of the science would not be as advanced without the experimentation. With the ever-changing modern science community comes new ethical, moral, and scientific standards that hold individuals accountable for their actions, however, the same level of principles has not always been in existence, causing these scientists to never bat an eye at misconduct. Above all else, the reader learns how important a person’s character and moral code plays a role in how honest and ethical his or her contributions are to science. Participants discussed ethical experiences at workplaces.
-submitted by Alicia
Meeting #3
SPYING ON WHALES: THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE OF EARTH'S MOST AWESOME CREATURES BY NICK PYENSON
Meeting occurred on September 25, 2023
A trip to a local museum or a whale watching excursion are some of the ways an average person might get to experience the largest mammal on Earth, unless you are Nick Pyenson and whales have been the focus of your entire career. His accounts of the fossil record and evolution of whales in Spying on Whales: The Past, Present, and Future of Earth’s Most Awesome Creatures allows the reader to grasp new concepts of the majestic creatures that swim deep below the ocean surface. It is believed that over 600 whale species were in existence compared to the roughly 80 species that are around today. Harmful algae blooms (HABs) and poaching have contributed to the decrease in the current number of whales, and Pyenson describes the importance of studying the fossil records located in whale strandings in hopes of preventing the extinction of more species. Breakthroughs in technology, such as the ability to 3D scan an entire whale fossil, allow scientists to study, classify, and compare fossils as a faster rate without the fear of breaking the valuable fossils. This advancement sets an example for the importance of the scientific partnership between people and animals. Preservation of an animal begins at a local level and will ultimately spread to something greater if people take the time to learn about the history of how a particular species came to be. Topics of conversation included US Navy-trained dolphins, biomagnification, whale watching experiences, and PFAs.
-submitted by Alicia
Meeting #2
A Taste for Poison: Eleven Deadly Substances & the Killers Who Used Them by Neil Bradbury
Meeting occurred June 5, 2023.
Science and true crime fans came together to read A Taste for Poison: Eleven Deadly Molecules and the Killers Who Used Them by Neil Bradbury. The book used murder stories to describe various poisons and people who have used them to do harm and then went on to further explain the science behind the poisons. Readers were surprised to learn that women are not always the ones to use poison as a murder weapon, and many stories featured medical professionals and their abuse of power when treating patients. The detection of these poisons has become easier with the advancements in technology, and antidotes are now known and accepted (in the case that you accidentally poison yourself as Bradbury notes is more common than being poisoned by the hand of someone else). Insulin and potassium are common and known to people to be beneficial, but the misuse and overdose of these can be lethal. Bradbury does squash the idea of potassium overdose by bananas, as it would take over 400 bananas at once to administer the lethal dose. One of the most fascinating parts of the book was learning of the garden at Alnwick Castle where people can walk amongst the deadly and toxic plants that make up some of the poisons described, which reminded readers that the difference between medicine and poison is the dose.
-submitted by Alicia
Meeting #1
Stuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials That Shape Our Man-Made World by Mark Miodownik
The first meeting [April 17, 2023] of the Detroit Science Book Club was last month and we couldn't have asked for a better introductory book. Stuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials that Shape our Man-made World by Mark Miodownik provided us with a handful of discussion topics relating to the several materials that were mentioned in the book. One of the more popular chapters, Paper, allowed us as readers to reminisce about the yellowing of treasured handwritten letters and documents as well as old books and their scent. It was also unanimously decided after reading about chocolate in the Delicious chapter that we would never throw out chocolate that shows signs of blooming - chocolate is simply too delicious to throw away! Glass was another topic of interest and it was suggested that the Corningware museum in New York is worth a visit. We ended the discussion by talking about the Immortal chapter and how the advancements in the 3D printing of organs and also stem cell research could be more readily accessible to people in the future. Mark has written several other books in a similar style that we added to the list, and we can't wait to meet this Summer to discuss the next book!
-submitted by Alicia
