Flush with hundreds of illustrations, this book revisits the histories of chemistry, medicine, ideas, and culture through the lens of alchemy
 
“Philip Ball’s book is a treasure: beautifully illustrated and, as usual, the author caries his learning lightly.”—David Wootton, Spectator
 
The craft of alchemy has intrigued and mystified people since antiquity. Many early cultures are known to have experimented with chemical transformations: from dyes, glazes, and cosmetics in Bronze Age Egypt to life-extending elixirs pursued by scholars in ancient China and India. Many have also attempted to transform lead, mercury, and other metals into gold—and some claim to have succeeded. In this visually stunning volume, Philip Ball sets alchemy within the context of the history of science and culture, showing that it was not simply an esoteric fantasy but an important phase in the development of experimental science and natural philosophy.
 
Rich illustrations complement a narrative history of the methods and techniques developed in alchemical workshops, the search for the philosopher’s stone and “elixirs of life” that extended across diverse cultures, and the controversies surrounding the practices of making alchemical gold and alchemical medicine. Ball explores the rise of alchemy from its inception in Hellenistic culture, through the golden age of Islamic natural philosophy in the eighth to the eleventh centuries, to the emergence of the tradition of natural magic in the Renaissance, and to the roles of alchemical thought and practice in the beginnings of early modern science in the seventeenth century. He traces the persistence of alchemical ideas through the occult revival of the late nineteenth century and the fascination of the topic for modern artists and writers. This engaging and accessible book will provide readers of all backgrounds with a nuanced understanding of alchemy and its history.

“Philip Ball’s book is a treasure: beautifully illustrated and, as usual, the author caries his learning lightly.”—David Wootton, Spectator

“A wonderful and beautifully illustrated guidebook to a strange land, compiled with erudition, enthusiasm, empathy and common sense.”—Pat Shiel, The Age

“Alchemists have been often written about as failed scientists, crippled by their spiritual beliefs, or as mystical philosophers whose hours at the athanor are beneath notice. Ball . . . rescues their scientific reputation while recognising the importance of the mystical philosophy that informed their work.”—Nick Richardson, London Review Books

“A fabulous resource for anyone interested in esoteric knowledge or how it relates to more conventionally accepted bodies of thought.”—Mathew Lyons, Broken Compass

“This captivating guide is sumptuously decorated on nearly every page. . . . A beautiful way to remind yourself of how science got to where it is now.”—Kit Chapman, Nature

“Philip Ball illuminates the history of alchemy without excluding readers at any level. Alchemy: An Illustrated History is a great accomplishment.”—Lawrence M. Principe, author of The Secrets of Alchemy

“In this absorbing exploration of alchemy and alchemists, which ranges from the ancient world to the modern and from East to West, Philip Ball takes a refreshing approach to alchemy as a science and as a philosophy. It is a delight to read, with its many illustrations, concise biographies, and engaging prose.”—Owen Davies, author of Art of the Grimoire: An Illustrated History of Magic Books and Spells

Philip Ball is an award-winning author, writer, and commentator. His many books include How Life Works: A User’s Guide to the New Biology.