With a Little Luck: 11 Serendipitous Discoveries: Surprising Stories of Amazing Discoveries

Dennis Brindell Fradin writes with expertise, yet does not talk down to his audience. He collects scientific achievements and presents the scientists as intelligent yet cautious and prone to very human foibles such as jealousy and anger. I work in a clinical laboratory, so the stories I found most interesting involved Ignaz Semmelweis and the discovery of the benefits of hand washing for doctors, as well as the co-discovers of anesthesia. It's an excellent book for any science-minded person, young or old.