I thoroughly enjoyed "Napoleon's Buttons: How 17 Molecules Changed History."
http://www.amazon.com/Napoleons-Buttons-Molecules-Changed-History/dp/1585423319
The book covers 17 classes of molecules and their impact on the history of the world. Some are easy, like gold and silver. We've all learned how the allure of riches formed much of the current world. But most of the chapters cite some surprisingly interesting facts about both common (table salt) and less well-known compounds (oleic acid, dyes, molecules of witchcraft, cellulose,etc.) and how they impacted human culture. If you are wondering "But why a title with 'Napoleons Buttons'"?, I won't give it away, but the authors postulate a possible scenario where one element may have led to Napoleon's eventual defeat. A bit of a stretch, but very memorable and I retell it often. There is just enough real chemistry in several chapters to make it both appealing and readable for anyone with even a minimum of chemical understanding. The chapter on chocolate is a great example. You also might wonder "Why are table salt and dyes on this list?" Read the book - it is enlightening and enjoyable.
