Stuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials That Shape Our Man-Made World

It's a book about material science that opens with the narrator getting stabbed! What more could you ask for‽

From the multiple crystal forms of chocolate to the chemical reactions that make cement, Mark combines a love of materials with excellent narrative and takes you through a small sampling of the amazing materials that make our everyday life possible. Stuff matters, indeed.

Have you ever wonder, why the light passes through some material but not through other? Why do we use porcelain in a kitchen? What is the difference between a diamond and a graphite? Both of them contain only carbon, so...?

Cool book, really easy to read (read in two sittings) and talks about a lot of the materials around us. My
favorite thing about it is that the book covers talks about psychophysics, a thing I didn't even know
existed–how we feel about materials. It doesn't go into details into the chemistry, which is a bummer,
but still gives enough information to make it entertaining and educational at the same time. A good
Sunday afternoon reading.

One of the most interesting and well written books I've read in a long time. A perfect mix of history, science, and anecdotes.