To See the Obvious

Arthur Birch, esteemed Australian organic chemist, was Professor of Organic Chemistry at Manchester, England, before returning to his home country to help establish the Research School of Chemistry at the Australian National University, Canberra. He is most renowned for inventing and developing the "Birch Reduction" of aromatic ring systems which has been a mainstay in synthetic organic chemistry. His autobiography is rich in detailing his early schooling in the1930s in Australia and his studies under Sir Robert Robinson at Oxford and Alexander Todd at Cambridge. Well over 50 photographs enhance this intimate and revealing autobiography, which includes a 50-page collection of philosophies on science, funding, personalities of various famous chemists andpersonalities of chemistry in different countries, family life, and the nature of research collaborations.