Theresa Levitt

Augustin Fresnel (1788–1827) shocked the scientific elite with his unique understanding of the physics of light. The lens he invented was a brilliant feat of engineering that made lighthouses blaze many times brighter, farther, and more efficiently. Battling the establishment, his own poor health, and the limited technology of the time, Fresnel was able to achieve his goal of illuminating...

A FINANCIAL TIMES HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEAR A STRONG WORDS TOP 50 BOOKS OF THE YEAR 'Dizzying and fragrant . . . truly a captivating achievement!' Aimee Nezhukumatathil 'If you read this book you will be changed . . . this book feels like an actual elixir' Kiese Laymon 'A fascinating tale of discovery, wonder, and revolution' Matthew Stanley...

Set amidst the unforgettable sights and smells of 18th and 19th Century Paris, Elixir tells the story of Edouard Laugier and Auguste Laurent, the son of a perfumer and a fellow aspiring chemist, who met on the Left Bank while pursuing their passion for science. Spurned by the scientific establishment of the time, the pair ended up working out of...