Chemical Education Today
Book & Media Reviews Arnold O. Beckman: One Hundred Years of Excellence by Arnold Thackray and Minor Myers Jr. Chemical Heritage Foundation: Philadelphia, PA, 2000. 379 pp with a CD-ROM video. ISBN 0-941901-23-8. $65.00. reviewed by Anne T. Sherren
Arnold O. Beckman: One Hundred Years of Excellence is a biography, a coffee table book and a history book. It traces the multifaceted life of Arnold Beckman for the past 100 years. In all aspects of his life Beckman was able to take advantage of the aphorism “chance favors the prepared mind.” Each chapter includes personal items and pictures of Beckman and the other persons in the narrative. Interspersed with the narrative are segments that introduce either the background chemistry, the instruments, or the personalities. The chapters include the following topics. “The Blacksmith’s Son” describes Beckman’s early family life. “A Scientist in the Making” describes his education and fascination with chemistry. “Professor Beckman” shows his life as a professor at Cal Tech. “Ink and Lemon Juice” includes the beginning of his consulting career and his designing and manufacturing of scientific instruments. “Battles on Many Fronts” shows the perils of being in control of a scientific instrument company. “Dr. Beckman in Control” presents Beckman as president of Beckman Instruments. “Visions of Technology” is his venture into the early semiconductor world. “Citizen and Leader” shows him serving on advisory groups to conquer smog and other problems. “Philanthropist and Statesman” describes how Beckman and his wife Mabel creatively began to give away their huge fortune and how Arnold supported publicly elected leaders. Every chapter includes enough scientific and technological detail to enable the reader to follow the importance of the breakthroughs in instrumentation and technology. Many readers will be aware of some facets of Beckman’s life. But while many scientists know of the importance of Beckman pH meters and spectrophotometers, how many realize the total picture: the importance of his roles in the Manhattan Project, radar, the citrus industry, smog, the electronics industry, and semiconductor development, and as a civic leader? Beckman was behind the scenes in World War II in a number of classified projects that resulted in fundamental discoveries. Also included with the book is a video in CD-ROM format, narrated by Beckman’s grandson Arnie, which allows the reader to see and hear Beckman talk about his life. This state-of-the art technology is a fitting addition to the biography of a man noted for his application of technology to aid human endeavor. Anne T. Sherren is in the Department of Chemistry, North Central College, Naperville, IL 60566-7063;
[email protected].
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Journal of Chemical Education • Vol. 78 No. 12 December 2001 • JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu
