Rubber...something we take for granted in todays world really has an interesting history. The race to make this into a functional material is traced in this book. I must say that I learned so many things about Charles Goodyear and his quest to bring rubber into our lives as a product that has so many applications. His early struggles with financial loss as a result of his quest underlines his obsession that would land him in the poor house on different occasions. This book is a great source of learning not only of him but the other players at the time who could see the potential of this product. Its a great history lesson for anyone interested in how rubber came to be a part of all our lives.