My latest POI guest, Deb Blum, avers that her book sales on Amazon went up appreciably after our show aired (download here and stream here). Like, wow. Didn't know we had that power. Of course, it may be because I framed Blum's book, The Poisoner's Handbook, as a kind of ideal case study in how to communicate science. But, well, it is. If I give the book an endorsement during the show, it's because it is richly deserved. Blum does a fantastic job of embedding science within a narrative driven by characters and human drama (in this case, the 1920s scientific quest to catch poisoners, who were previously operating with relative impunity). As an author, she thereby ensures that she will both educate readers about chemistry--on the show, for instance, we discuss the crucial difference between ethyl and methyl alcohol, which had no small policy and human health import during Prohibition--and also intrigue and entertain them. There are many, many would-be science communicators who should take a lesson from Blum's success. And indeed, in one part of the show that was cut, she told me that Hollywood may be interested in the story she's created. Once again, if you haven't heard the show yet, you can download here and stream here. And if you haven't yet picked up a copy of The Poisoner's Handbook (which, in a slip that couldn't quite be called Freudian, I keep accidentally misspelling as "The Poisoner's Dilemma"), and want to further affect the Amazon numbers, click here.
