This is one of a few recent histories of alchemy. If you are interested in the technical aspect, I strongly recommend "The Secrets of Alchemy" by Lawrence M. Pr

This is one of a few recent histories of alchemy. If you are interested in the technical aspect, I strongly recommend "The Secrets of Alchemy" by Lawrence M. Principe. He is a chemist as well as historian, and has gained insight through replicating ancient techniques.