The Genie in the Bottle: 64 All New Commentaries on the Fascinating Chemistry of Everyday Life

Alice Kidd is an editor with The New Catalyst editorial collective in
Lillooet, B.C.

Dr. Joe Schwarcz is a storyteller. He takes topics of interest from
daily life and explores their meaning through the lens of chemistry. The
Genie in the Bottle is a collection of 64 easy-to-read, very
entertaining stories about health, food, chemical tricks and wonders,
and historical chemists.

Health and food matters make up about half the book. Schwarcz answers
questions about protecting yourself and your children from too much sun,
various herbal remedies and weight-loss products, the role of various
foods in health and nutrition, and many other things in a style that not
only informs but also keeps you laughing.

In addition to his university work, Schwarcz regularly appears on radio
and television and gives public lectures. The last three chapters make
it clear why he is such a successful public educator. “Chemistry Here,
There and Everywhere” draws on the skills he uses to entertain and
educate in public. “Learning from the Past” provides more than the
usual science histories; the tales are funny, sometimes gossipy, but
always clear and informative and usually cautionary. “Silly Stuff”
is devoted to debunking frauds and a few of the numerous charlatans who
lay claim to special powers for themselves or their products. Schwarcz,
an amateur magician himself, does a good job of explaining how the
tricks are accomplished. We see the smoke come out of the bottle with
the genie and we know how it happened.