Lavoisier in the Year One

Madison Smartt Bell's captivating narrative explores the life of Antoine Lavoisier, the revolutionary figure who reshaped the field of chemistry by replacing alchemical traditions with a groundbreaking new terminology that endures today. Set against the backdrop of his privileged connections, including figures like Benjamin Franklin, the story unfolds like a race, revealing how Lavoisier's remarkable achievements were ultimately overshadowed by the tumult of the French Revolution.