Best American Science and Nature Writing Reading Order
| Title | Published | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2010 | 2010 | Buy |
| The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2011 | 2011 | Buy |
| The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2012 | 2012 | Buy |
| The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2013 | 2013 | Buy |
| The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2014 | 2014 | Buy |
| The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2015 | 2015 | Buy |
| The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2016 | 2016 | Buy |
| The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2017 | 2017 | Buy |
| The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2018 | 2018 | Buy |
| The Best American Science And Nature Writing 2019 | 2019 | Buy |
| The Best American Science And Nature Writing 2020 | 2020 | Buy |
| The Best American Science And Nature Writing 2021 | 2021 | Buy |
Non-Fiction
| Title | Published | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| The Disappearing Spoon | 2010 | Buy |
| The Violinist’s Thumb | 2012 | Buy |
| The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons | 2014 | Buy |
| Caesar’s Last Breath | 2017 | Buy |
| The Disappearing Spoon: Young Listeners Edition | 2018 | Buy |
| The Bastard Brigade | 2019 | Buy |
| The Icepick Surgeon | 2021 | Buy |
| Dinner with King Tut | 2025 | Buy |
Sam Kean grew up collecting mercury from broken thermometers and turned that childhood fascination with science into a career as one of the most widely read popular science writers working today. He is based in Washington, D.C., and his work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, the New York Times Magazine, and on NPR programs including Radiolab, All Things Considered, Science Friday, and Fresh Air.
His first book, The Disappearing Spoon (2010), tells the history of the periodic table through stories about the people who discovered the elements and the strange things those elements can do. The title refers to gallium, a metal that melts at 85 degrees Fahrenheit and would dissolve if you stirred hot tea with it. The Violinist’s Thumb (2012) does the same for DNA and genetics, The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons (2014) covers the history of the brain through tales of injuries and recoveries, and Caesar’s Last Breath (2017) traces the history of the air we breathe. The Bastard Brigade (2019) is a World War II history about the scientists and spies who sabotaged the Nazi atomic bomb program, and The Icepick Surgeon (2021) explores dark chapters in the history of science involving murder, fraud, and piracy. His latest book, Dinner with King Tut (2025), follows experimental archaeologists who recreate the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of ancient civilizations.