"By meeting with makers and playing with materials, Anna creates a beautiful picture of what these substances really feel like and what they are capable of. This book will make all your senses tingle." -- Roma Agrawal, structural engineer and author "This book is a wonderful journey through the art and science of materials. beautifully crafted and very personal. Highly recommended to anyone who loves 'stuff' and is curious enough to want to delve into its inner secrets." -- Mark Miodownik, scientist, broadcaster and founder of the Materials Library "Brimming with curiosity and humanity, I devoured this book. An extraordinary account of a life through materials; I'll never look at a mini roll in the same way again." -- Andrew Smyth, Aerospace engineer and baker "With wide-eyed wonder and a sense of humor, she examines the techniques behind the making of brass, paper, plastic, pottery, steel, and sugar, among other goods, and shares her attempts to produce them herself .

Ploszajski is a talented science communicator, using analogies to illuminate the molecular world . and the zany accounts of her fieldwork are lots of fun. This pop science adventure delights." -- Publishers Weekly "Captivating. Anna brings materials to life, and shines a light on the people who work with them everyday." -- Professor Lucy Rogers, The Guild of Makers "Throughout the book, her curiosity-driven approach to everyday objects encourages the reader to navigate the world similarly and to make sense of the material world around them through making.Ultimately, Ploszajski succeeds in demonstrating that the act of making something can impart an appreciation for and understanding of the properties of the material from which it is made." -- Science Magazine.