Chemistry is a branch of natural science that deals primarily with the properties of substances, the changes they undergo, and the natural laws that describe these changes. (University of Idaho, 2014) Molecules, as small as they seem, are found in the food we eat and present in our daily lives. Today, scientists probably know the history of chemistry, but do not know the impact of chemistry on history. Many would not question whether these molecules go beyond the chemical concepts they have learned. For example, would the world have been different if the piperine (molecule) present in pepper had not led to the discovery of the United States? The interesting fact is that molecules have shaped and will continue to shape the world today. In this book, the authors detail how 17 specific molecules have had a significant impact on world history. Overall, this book is very intriguing and is perfect for chemistry enthusiasts as well as the general public. This book, “Napoleon’s Buttons”, is written by Penny Le Couteur and Jay Burreson (2003). The work is divided into 17 organized chapters and is structured around three major themes, namely medicine, trade and conquest. Molecules that encouraged the discovery of new trade routes include peppers, nutmeg and cloves, glucose, silk and nylon, morphine, nicotine and caffeine, salt and dyes. Molecules that have led to battles and wars include ascorbic acid, cellulose, nitro compounds, witchcraft molecules, and isoprene. Molecules that have played an important role in the field of medicine include phenol, wonder drugs, the pill, oleic acid, chlorocarbon compounds, and anti-malaria molecules. The authors' assessment of some historical events related to molecules was rather superficial. In some chapters ... middle of paper ... interesting reading is also the visuals of chemical compounds allowing the reader to see the actual chemical bonds within the chemical compound. Images engage the reader and allow them to gain a clearer visual perspective of what is being discussed. Overall, the flow of the book from one chapter to the next was good and well thought out. The chemical aspects provided in the book were very detailed, but some information was missing in the historical aspects of the book. The authors also quickly concluded that certain molecules were solely responsible for the historical events. Even though there are flaws in the book, this book is still an interesting read. The book is highly recommended to the general public as it is able to provide them with a basic general understanding of chemistry and allows them to gain new knowledge and in-depth insight into chemistry..