“Lives in Chemistry” Reviews

    Language Review
Apr 2024 Horst Kessler German language Thorsten Berg: With the Potential to Inspire.
“Conveying specialized knowledge to non-specialists is a balancing act between precision and comprehensibility, which the author has executed excellently.” [...]
“The work is a recommended reading for anyone interested in chemical research in the broader sense. It has great potential to inspire the current and future generation of scientists to pursue bold and independent research.”
Nachr. Chem. 2024, 72, issue 4, 87.
Apr 2024 Larry E. Overman German language Reading Suggestion: Organic Chemistry.
“Special reading material for members interested in organic chemistry.”
SEC-Newsletter 2024, No. 39, April, 6.
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Mar 2024 Horst Kessler German language Martin Engelhard: NMR was my Compass in Organic and Medicinal Chemistry by Horst Kessler.
“This remarkable autobiography serves as a prime example that progress in the chemical and biochemical sciences can only be advanced if you are open to new methodological developments, enabling them to address relevant inquiries. Horst Kessler’s autobiography is recommended for doctoral candidates [...] as well as early-career organic and biochemical chemists. For the established chemical science community, it is a book filled with a wealth of information from the period when chemistry and biochemistry converged.”
BIOspektrum 2024, 30, 2, 241–242.
DOI: 10.1007/s12268-024-2159-0
Oct 2023 Lives in Chemistry German language Eva E. Wille: Lives in Chemistry—Inspirational Autobiographies.
“At present, seven LiC autobiographies exist in print and online, two of them in English (by Stephen Kent and Gerhard Ertl): altogether ca. 2,000 pages with ca. 1,000 figures and very interesting appendices. Manuscripts by Ryōji Noyori and Larry Overman have been accepted and will appear next spring. 10 further authors from all over the world are working to give deep insight in different cultures in the chemical sciences. Supporting material, videos, reviews as well as tweets about diverse chemical lives are found at l-i-c.org/twitter.com/livesinchem.”
Chimia 2023, 23, 708.
DOI: 10.2533/chimia.2023.708
Sep 2023 Franz Effenberger German language Dieter Jahn: Autobiography of special charm.
“The series ‘Lives in Chemistry’ impresses with its clear structure, attractive design, and reader-friendly approach. [...] Practical relevance runs like a common theme through the research, as well as through Effenberger’s activities outside the laboratory. His research is marked by the dualism between the pleasure of chemical synthesis and a keen interest in fundamental structures and mechanisms.”
Nachr. Chem 2023, 71, Sep., 78.
Jul 2023 Franz Effenberger Horst Kessler German language Lives in Chemistry: Autobiographical book series on outstanding researchers continues.
“In chemistry, the research process often involves multiple steps. The autobiographical ‘Lives in Chemistry’ book series delves into how this culminates in a lifetime of scientific work, offering insights into the lives and thoughts of exceptional researchers through the lens of time.”
CHEManager 2023, 32, issue 7, 19.
Jul 2023 Gerhard Ertl German language Alexander Pawlak: My Life with Science.
“However, it is not only the personal perspective that sets this volume, along with the others in the series, apart, but also the remarkably original and elegant design, which earned the gold medal for ‘The Best German Book Designs 2022’. It’s truly impressive to see the possibilities that a second printing color can offer. With layout and typesetting by Berlin-based graphic designer Andreas Toepfer, and the special finishing touches, the book becomes a genuine gem, and reading it becomes an aesthetic pleasure.”
Physik Journal 2023, 22, issue 7, 62.
Jun 2023 Dieter Oesterhelt & Mathias Grote German language Klaus Roth: Dieter Oesterhelt and His Bacteriorhodopsin—A Retrospective.
“It’s not an autobiography, but rather a compilation of several conversations between the science historian Mathias Grote (*1978) and Dieter Oesterhelt. The choice of this format must be considered a stroke of luck, as these conversations bring the reader particularly close to Dieter Oesterhelt’s personality. [...] The entire book is a true delight! Bravo!”
Chem. Unserer Zeit 2023, 57, issue 3, 191–195.
DOI: 10.1002/ciuz.202300002
May 2023 Lives in Chemistry German language Michael Roesler-Graichen: Visual Delight.
Creating textbooks: A special challenge for graphic designers. Andreas Töpfer on his work on ‘Lives in Chemistry’.
“Consistent play with shapes and colors: Graphic designer Andreas Töpfer has crafted the ‘Lives in Chemistry’ series to be haptically pleasant, visually fresh, while simultaneously fostering a sense of connection to the subject matter.”
Börsenblatt 2023, 190, issue 18, 34–35.
May 2023 Dieter Oesterhelt & Mathias Grote German language Ralf Neumann: Shining Figure.
“Therefore, it is worthwhile to familiarize oneself with this nerdy individual posthumously through the book. Furthermore, or more precisely because of it, the impression is strengthened that the current scientific system would present significantly greater challenges for Oesterhelt to attain the level of success he achieved in his era, given his unique approach.”
Laborjournal 2023, 30, issue 5, 54.
E-Publication: Free download
May 2023 Gerhard Ertl German language Ferdinand Hucho: Gerhard Ertl Autobiography.
“Personally, I have found the work to be highly appealing, deeply impressive, and captivating. I am convinced that this book, particularly due to its detailed personal accounts and depiction of the challenges along a life’s journey, as well as the portrayal of a trusting relationship with a mentor and the accompanying support, offers a valuable introductory read, especially for young scientists who are contemplating whether to pursue a career in academia.”
Bunsen-Magazin 2023, 25, Nr. 3, 93–94.
Bunsen-Magazin online
Mar 2023 Dieter Oesterhelt & Mathias Grote German language Elke Maier: Enlightening Research.
“The design of the book, which was awarded by the Stiftung Buchkunst, is highly appealing: Housed in a slipcase and accompanied by a bookmark, it features graphics, personal photographs, and excerpts from Oesterhelt’s laboratory notebook. In doing so, it presents a portrait of an exceptional researcher while also bringing to life an exhilarating era in biochemistry.”
Max Planck Forschung 2023, 25, issue 1, 73.
E-Publication: Free download · View online
Feb 2023 Lives in Chemistry German language Eva E. Wille: Creativity for a lifetime
“The autobiographies of Franz Effenberger and the extended English edition of Gerhard Ertl’s book will be published this spring. Chemists from Germany, Japan, the UK, the USA, and India have committed to providing documents and manuscripts in 2023. This entails a significant amount of new work for the volunteer Advisory Board ... However, it has yielded inspiring success: the unconventional concept of book designer Andreas Toepfer has not only energized authors and readers of all generations, but it has also convinced the Stiftung Buchkunst to award the Lives in Chemistry series a gold medal”.
Nachr. Chem 2023, 71, Feb., 87.
Nov 2022 Dieter Oesterhelt & Mathias Grote Stephen Kent German language Autobiographical book series on outstanding researchers expanded
CHEManager 2022, 31, issue 11, 23.
Nov 2022 Stephen Kent German language Ferdinand Hucho: Inventing Synthetic Methods to Discover how Enzymes work, Stephen Kent.
BIOspektrum 2022, 28, issue 7, 769–770.
DOI: 10.1007/s12268-022-1868-5
Nov 2022 Dieter Oesterhelt & Mathias Grote Stephen Kent German language Two new Lives in Chemistry
Nachr. Chem. 2022, 70, issue 11, 84.
Oct 2022 Dieter Oesterhelt & Mathias Grote German language Ferdinand Hucho: Life with Light and Colour – A Biochemical Conversation, Dieter Oesterhelt and Mathias Grote.
BIOspektrum 2022, 28, issue 6, 671.
DOI: 10.1007/s12268-022-1842-2
Oct 2022 Lives in Chemistry German language Silvia Werfel: Haptic pleasure.
bindereport 2022, 135, No. 10, 36–39.
Sep 2022 Lives in Chemistry German language Silvia Werfel: Not just “beautiful”, but also relevant.
Deutscher Drucker 2022, 58, No. 11, 21–23.
Jun 2022 Henri Brunner German language Doris Kunz: Bild und Spiegelbild: Kleiner Unterschied – Große Auswirkungen.
Angew. Chem. 2022, e202207393.
DOI: 10.1002/ange.202207393 (Online version of record before inclusion in an issue)
Jun 2022 Guenther Maier German language Wolfram Sander: Das war’s – Erinnerungen eines Doktorvaters.
Angew. Chem. 2022, e202207430.
DOI: 10.1002/ange.202207430 (Online version of record before inclusion in an issue)
Jun 2022 Lives in Chemistry German language German Book Design Award „Die Schönsten Deutschen Bücher“.
Reasoning of the jury
Jun 2022 Gerhard Ertl German language Ferdinand Hucho: Mein Leben mit der Wissenschaft, Gerhard Ertl.
BIOspektrum 2022, 28, issue 4, 452.
DOI: 10.1007/s12268-022-1759-9
Apr 2022 Gerhard Ertl German language Ulrich Schubert: Erfolgsrezept 3G – Geduld, Geld, Glück.
Chem. Unserer Zeit 2022, 56, issue 2, 141.
DOI: 10.1002/ciuz.202210008
Apr 2022 Guenther Maier German language Bernhard Breit: Ein Krimi aus dem Labor.
Chem. Unserer Zeit 2022, 56, issue 2, 141.
DOI: 10.1002/ciuz.202210008
Apr 2022 Gerhard Ertl German language Melanie Schnell: Mein Leben mit der Wissenschaft.
Angew. Chem. 2022, e202203487.
DOI: 10.1002/ange.202203487 (Online version of record before inclusion in an issue)
Apr 2022 Gerhard Ertl German language Peter Hergersberg: Ein Keks vom Ertlator.
Max Planck Forschung 2022, 24, issue 1, 76.
E-Publication: Free download · View online
Feb 2022 Gerhard Ertl German language Lives in Chemistry.
Physik Journal 2022, 21, issue 2, 52.
Dec 2021 Lives in Chemistry German language Collective review: Lebenswerke – „Ich würde mir gerne eine Scheibe abschneiden“.
Nachr. Chem. 2021, 69, issue 13, 18–21.
Oct 2021 Lives in Chemistry German language Autobiographische Buchreihe portraitiert herausragende Forscher.
CHEManager 2021, issue 11, 23.
Online version.
Oct 2021 Gerhard Ertl German language Lebenswerke in der Chemie.
Naturwiss. Rundsch. 2021, 74, issue 8, 439.
Aug 2021 Lives in Chemistry German language Michael Roesler-Graichen: Lebenswerke.
Börsenblatt 2021, 188, issue 33, 28.
Aug 2021 Henri Brunner German language Bastian Schmidt: Forschungswege im Spiegel der Zeit.
Universität Regensburg, Pressemitteilung 16. August 2021