Kathryn Harkup is a British chemist and science communicator. She is known for writing books about science in popular culture and the history of science.
Kathryn Harkup | |
|---|---|
 Harkup in 2022 | |
| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | University of York (PhD)
|
| Known for | Science communication |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Chemistry |
| Website | harkup |
Early life and education edit
Harkup completed her PhD and post-doctoral degree at the University of York.[1]
Career edit
After completing her studies, Harkup became a science communicator at the University of Surrey.[1] She has written several books about the history of science in popular culture.[2] In 2015, Harkup published A Is For Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie, which explores the scientific basis of the poisons used in Agatha Christie's novels.[3] Harkup was inspired to write A Is For Arsenic because of her interest in Christie's mystery novels as a teenager, particularly those involving Hercule Poirot. As a science communicator, she noticed that young students were generally interested in "anything dangerous or disgusting", which further inspired the work.[4] The book was nominated for an Agatha Award,[5] and Mystery Readers International Macavity Awards.[6] She subsequently wrote Making the Monster: The Science Behind Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein in 2018.[7]
In 2020, Harkup published Death by Shakespeare: Snakebites, Stabbings and Broken Hearts.[8] The book dealt with the portrayal of death in William Shakespeare's plays and the scientific understanding that went into his work. It received mostly positive reviews from critics.[9][10][11] Publishers Weekly gave the book a starred review.[12]
In 2021, she published the popular science book The Secret Lives of Elements,[13] and the nonfiction Vampirology: The Science of Horror's Most Famous Fiend.[14]
Harkup published Superspy Science: Science, Death and Tech in the World of James Bond in 2022, which dealt with depictions of technology in Ian Fleming's James Bond franchise.[15][16]
Personal life edit
Harkup lives in Surrey, England.[17]
External links edit
References edit
- ^ a b "Meet the Author: Kathryn Harkup". Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. 2020-03-05.
- ^ "Interview With an Author: Dr. Kathryn Harkup". lapl.org.
- ^ "A Is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie". washingtonindependentreviewofbooks.com.
- ^ "Q&A WITH A IS FOR ARSENIC AUTHOR, KATHRYN HARKUP". agathachristie.com.
- ^ "The 2016 Agatha Award Nominees Has Been Updated Again: With This Year's Winners!". lislelibrary.org.
- ^ "Kathryn Harkup Issue 128". philosophynow.org.
- ^ "Making the Monster: The Science Behind Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' by Kathryn Harkup". Publishers Weekly.
- ^ Death by Shakespeare.
- ^ Kirkus Review.
- ^ "Shakespeare's sense of an ending". TLS.
- ^ "Kathryn Harkup, Death by Shakespeare". dictionaryofsydney.org.
- ^ "Death by Shakespeare". Publishers Weekly.
- ^ "The Secret Lives of the Elements". Science Connected.
- ^ "Book review Vampirology". TIB.
- ^ "Superspy Science: Science, Death and Tech in the World of James Bond by Kathryn Harkup". Publishers Weekly.
- ^ Duns, Jeremy (2023-09-25). "Superspy Science by Kathryn Harkup review — the science behind James Bond".
- ^ "Kathryn Harkup". FreshFiction.