This makes me think of John D Clark’s book, “Ignition!” - a history of liquid fuel rocket propellants. It’s been out of print for decades but is an entertaining read, and Mr. Clark even made the chemistry accessible for lay people like me.
Things the book pointed out were that multiple organizations tended to have the same ideas nearly simultaneously, that almost every possible branch of possible liquid rocket fuels have been explored, and that you generally have to give something up to get something else. I wish them luck, but I won’t hold my breath.
