Synthetic Worlds: Nature, Art and the Chemical Industry by Esther Leslie, published in 2005 by Reaktion Books, is a transdisciplinary exploration of the interplay between chemistry, culture, aesthetics, and industrialization, focusing on how synthetic materials—particularly those produced by the German chemical industry in the 19th and 20th centuries—have reshaped human perceptions of nature, art, and reality. Leslie, a professor of political aesthetics at Birkbeck, University of London, weaves together history, critical theory, and cultural analysis to examine how the rise of synthetic substances like dyes, plastics, and pharmaceuticals, pioneered by companies such as BASF and Bayer, transformed not only material production but also philosophical and artistic understandings of the world. The book argues that the chemical industry’s ability to mimic, manipulate, and surpass nature through synthetic processes—such as the creation of aniline dyes or artificial fertilizers—blurred the boundaries between the natural and artificial, influencing modernist art, literature, and political ideologies, including those co-opted by Nazism. Leslie draws on thinkers like Walter Benjamin, Theodor Adorno, and Karl Marx, as well as literary and visual artists like Rainer Maria Rilke, Paul Klee, and László Moholy-Nagy, to trace the cultural and aesthetic implications of this chemical revolution.

Structured as a series of thematic chapters, the book begins by situating the German chemical industry’s rise in the 19th century, particularly through the development of coal-tar derivatives that produced vibrant synthetic dyes, revolutionizing textiles and visual culture. Leslie explores how these dyes, such as mauve and alizarin, not only democratized color but also inspired modernist artists to rethink representation, as seen in the Bauhaus movement’s embrace of industrial materials. She delves into the philosophical ramifications, noting how synthetic chemistry challenged Romantic notions of nature as pure and untainted, replacing them with a “second nature” of human-made substances. Chapters on photography and film highlight how chemical processes enabled new forms of visual reproduction, with figures like Moholy-Nagy celebrating the “new vision” of industrial aesthetics, while others, like Benjamin, critiqued the loss of aura in mechanized art. Leslie also examines the darker side of chemical innovation, particularly its role in warfare (e.g., Zyklon B) and Nazi propaganda, which glorified synthetic autarky as a symbol of German supremacy, yet she avoids reducing the narrative to moral condemnation, instead probing the ambivalence of progress. The book’s later sections address the cultural impact of plastics and synthetic fibers, which reshaped everyday life, and the ecological consequences of industrial chemistry, foreshadowing contemporary debates on sustainability.

Leslie’s prose is dense and allusive, blending Marxist critique, Frankfurt School aesthetics, and historical detail, which makes the book both intellectually rich and challenging. She employs a dialectical approach, showing how synthetic worlds simultaneously liberate and alienate, creating utopian possibilities while enabling exploitation. The book’s strength lies in its ability to connect seemingly disparate fields—chemistry, art, politics—into a cohesive narrative, revealing how industrial processes permeate cultural imagination. Critics praise its originality, with *The Guardian* calling it “a brilliant excavation of modernity’s chemical underside,” though some note its academic style and occasional lack of focus may deter general readers. With a 4.0/5 rating on Goodreads from limited reviews, it appeals to scholars of cultural studies, art history, and science and technology studies. Available in paperback and eBook formats, *Synthetic Worlds* remains a vital contribution to understanding how industrial chemistry has shaped modernity’s material and aesthetic landscapes, offering insights into the ongoing tension between nature and artifice.