Stuff Matters

Exploring the Marvelous Materials That Shape Our Man-Made World

By: Mark Miodownik

Narrated by: Michael Page

Length: 6 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

Why is glass see-through? What makes elastic stretchy? Why does a paper clip bend? These are the sorts of questions that Mark Miodownik is constantly asking himself. A globally renowned materials scientist, Miodownik has spent his life exploring objects as ordinary as an envelope and as unexpected as concrete cloth, uncovering the fascinating secrets that hold together our physical world. From the teacup to the jet engine, the silicon chip to the paper clip, the plastic in our appliances to the elastic in our underpants, our lives are overflowing with materials. Full of enthralling tales of the miracles of engineering that permeate our lives, Stuff Matters will make you see stuff in a whole new way.

©2014 Mark Miodownik (P)2014 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Miodownik's infectious curiosity and explanatory gifts will inspire [listeners] to take a closer look at the materials around them." ( Publishers Weekly Starred Review)

I loved the way the autor exposes the subject

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Amazing how the author can explain everything that’s interesting about an element. He goes down to the detail without being boring, explaining in everyday language exactly what we want to know. I loved especially the chapters about steel, glass and graphite.

good core material

Interesting book about a wide range of materials, there properties and how they do what they do. A few ramblings into the authors personal life are a bit of a distraction, but tolerable.

wish it was longer!

nerdy bliss.

I enjoyed the basic chemistry of the ideas, like the common ground between plastic and chocolate

Interesting Stuff

This is a book about material science. I was fascinated with some of the information the author provided about various materials, from plastics, steel etc. to materials that go into the human body. While there were a few parts that I found a little dull, the majority of the book was interesting. The material is presented in an easy to understand way, so as a non-scientist, I was able to easily grasp the "stuff." I listened to this on audio, which is my preferred format for non-fiction.

So interesting

Great story telling. The last chapter is a little random, but the book itself is great

Glad I Got It

Informative & completely "accessible" to someone with 0 engineering background. Loved the story. The pace was a bit slow & drag-ish. I listened at 1.5 speed or higher all the way through.

A fun read

I enjoyed this for it's very practical application of physics and understanding matter. Took a moment to get into the very British context and accents but it's a fun reading

great information.

i am a chemistry teacher and always appreciate living up the room worth interesting facts.

Easy to understand

I was interested in this topic but nervous that the content would be over my head. I was delightfully surprised that the author kept me very engaged and made the hard concepts very easy to understand! Great listen!

loved it!

I want to hear it again! As a senior with only a high school formal education but one who embraces technology I loved this book. It is a fantastic journey through history of *everything* in our lives,, with humor and science intertwined. I will listen to this book again. A must read. Narration was perfect.