Book Review: Laughing Gas, Viagra, and Lipitor by Jie Jack Li
I am filled with jealous rage. Well, maybe not rage, but certainly jealousy. I happened upon this book in the pharmacology section of the Gerstein Science Information Centre, which is the big old health science library at the University of Toronto. It's sort of like this blog, but appreciably better in every possibly way. First of all, it's written by an established science author who manages to humanize the easily dry subject of drug development. It has nice pictures. There are actual paragraphs. It's chapters were very likely not written with haste only hours prior to publication. The stories of how a whole slew of drugs came into being are recounted in a wonderfully succinct yet personable manner, with every effort made to provide the necessary chemistry and pharmacology in order for the reader to better grasp the material. Li doesn't shy away from big science words, so a background in chemistry or medicine or a related field is probably necessary to ensure complete enjoyability. I appreciated the fact that a large number of drugs were covered, as opposed to the one drug per chapter approach I have seen in similar books. A sterling read that, having been published only last year (2006), is nearly up to date with all the goings-on in the pharmacological world.
4 chemically inspired comments:
Nice find, Chris. One of my favorite books on pharmacology is PIHKAL: A Chemical Love Story by Alexander Shulgin. Definitely not on the J. Med. Chem. bestseller list, but still fascinating. Not only does Shulgin report the syntheses of all manner of psychoactive drugs, but includes first-person accounts of their effects. Kind of like human in vivo SAR.
Your last statement is very important. Your blog can adapt to tomorrow's big story, change, and incorporate user feedback. It takes on a life of its own.
The book is dead on arrival.
Hey Rich, thank you for your comment. I've been meaning to get my hands on PIHKAL for a while now, but, like you mentioned, it's not to be found in a science library. Perhaps I should try a library with a large drug culture section instead. Or just buy the darn thing.
See, but the big difference here is that books suck and cost money. Your blog neither sucks nor costs money (for us). I think Jie Jack Li also wrote a book on named reactions which was ok until this book blew it out of the water.
Chris, your website is amazing, I read it whenever I get the chance and its fun so thanks! Excimer, the book you mention is not as good as Jack's (which is now in its 3rd edition) simply because it's perhaps too detailed for a simple delve? Maybe the books just don't compete on the same playing field....
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