Tag: Sam Kean

The Icepick Surgeon

The Icepick Surgeon: Murder, Fraud, Sabotage, Piracy, and Other Dastardly Deeds Perpetrated in the Name of Science

by Sam Kean (Little, Brown and Company, 2021); audiobook read by Ben Sullivan (Audible Audio, 2021)

Book cover: “The Icepick Surgeon: Murder, Fraud, Sabotage, Piracy, and Other Dastardly Deeds Perpetrated in the Name of Science” by Sam Kean (2021)

Kean’s deep-delves into history are well researched yet perfectly accessible. As the subtitle suggests, this is more a collection of case studies than a comprehensive analysis of scientific malpractice. Nonetheless, Kean’s broader conclusions appear sound. Ben Sullivan captures the half-serious, half-jocular tone.

Caesar’s Last Breath

Caesar’s Last Breath: Decoding the Secrets of the Air Around Us

by Sam Kean; audiobook read by Ben Sullivan (Hachette Audio, 2017)

Kean_Caesar's Last Breath

Kean not only makes science accessible but also proves an able guide through history more generally, grounding his subject matter in human interest (and absurdity). The story of gasses—and how they have shaped human development—is genuinely fascinating. Audiobook reading recommended.