Opis: A is for Arsenic - Kathryn Harkup

Agatha Christie's detailed plotting is what makes her books so compelling. Christie used poison to kill her characters more often than any other murder method, with the poison itself being a central part of the novel, and her choice of deadly substances was far from random; the chemical and physiological characteristics of each poison provide vital clues to discovery of the murderer. With gunshots or stabbings the cause of death is obvious, but not so with poisons. How is it that some compounds prove so deadly, and in such tiny amounts? Christie demonstrated her extensive chemical knowledge (much of it gleaned from her working in a chemists during both world wars) in many of her novels, but this is rarely appreciated by the reader. A is for Arsenic celebrates the use of science in Christie's work. Written by Christie fan and research chemist Kathryn Harkup, each chapter takes a different novel and investigates the poison (or poisons) the murderer used. A is for Arsenic looks at why certain chemicals kill, how they interact with the body, and the feasibility of obtaining, administering and detecting these poisons, both at the time the novel was written and today. This book is published as part of the 125th anniversary celebration of Christie's birth. Fourteen novels. Fourteen poisons. Just because its fiction doesn't mean its all made-up ... Intriguing and illuminating ... will please mystery fans, true crime readers, and lovers of popular science. Publishers Weekly A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie ... has lethal charm. [Kathryn] Harkup leads every chapter with a literary quote, then proceeds to tell us what the poison is, how and under what circumstances it kills, some real-life instances of its use and what role it plays in the Christie plot ... good fun. The Washington Post ...a knockout analysis of poisons used in Christie's novels and short stories...Each chapter gives riveting information on the poison's chemical makeup, how it kills, whether there's an antidote, its history and its use in Christie's works and in real life...This is an absolutely bravura chemical compound. -- Connie Fletcher Booklist ...a cracking compendium of Christie's poisonings...A Is For Arsenic will appeal to any fan of Christie's work, but as a potted history of poisons, antidotes and medicines it has much wider reach than that. -- Mark Lorch BBC Focus (Science and Technology) ...this book is fascinating and anyone who is interested in the myriad painful and unpleasant ways in which people can be killed will relish it. The Times1. Dame Agatha's Deadly Dispensary 2. A is for Arsenic - Murder is Easy 3. B is for Belladonna - The Labours of Hercules 4. C is for Cyanide - Sparkling Cyanide 5. D is for Digitalis - Appointment with Death 6. E is for Eserine - Crooked House 7. H is for Hemlock - Five Little Pigs 8. M is for Monkshood - 4:50 from Paddington 9. N is for Nicotine - Three Act Tragedy 10. O is for Opium - Sad Cypress 11. P is for Phosphorus - Dumb Witness 12. R is for Ricin - Partners in Crime 13. S is for Strychnine - The Mysterious Affair at Styles 14. T is for Thallium - The Pale Horse 15. V is for Veranol - Lord Edgware Dies Appendix Glossary Bibliography

Szczegóły: A is for Arsenic - Kathryn Harkup

Tytuł: A is for Arsenic
Autor: Kathryn Harkup
Producent: Featherstone Education
ISBN: 9781472911308
Rok produkcji: 2015
Ilość stron: 320
Oprawa: Twarda
Waga: 0.45 kg

Recenzje: A is for Arsenic - Kathryn Harkup