Chemlstry and Lne: An Introduction to General, Organic, and Biological Chemlstry, Thlrd Edltlon

John W. Hilland DarothyM. Feigl. Macmil- Ian: New York. NY. 1987. mi + 911 pp. Figs. and tables. 20.5 X 24.3 cm.

An Introduction to General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry: Chemistry and Life hv John W. Hill and Dorothv M. Feiel . . " was written for a vear-lone course desiened . ~ ~ . . ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~ 4 ~ ~~- ~~~

eapeciallv for students in health and life rri. ences. The same authors along with Erwin Boschmann have written a similar but brief- er text deargned for a une-semester courre: An Inlr~,durlion to General, Organtc, ond Bidoctroi Chernistr,; Foundolicms of Life, 3rd edition. 1991. ~hemis t rv and ~ i f e was published in 1987, folluwingParlier editions in 1983 and 1YX. Thus, one might reason- ably rxpect tosees fuurth edrtion appearing in the next year or two.

The first 13 chapters cover topids com- mon to general chemistry texts. Inter- spersed among these 13 chaptere are four special topics that could he covered or not at the instructor's discretion with no loss in continuity. The first is on unit conversions, the second on energy levels and orbitals, the third on nuclear power, and the fourth on equilibrium calculations. Example prob- lems appear throughout the chapters. They are highlighted hy a grey hackgraund, and all are immediately followed hy solutions. Abundant end of the chapter problems are offered for each chapter, as well as for the aoecial tooies. ~.~~~ ~ 7~~~

Chapten 14 through 18 cover the major organic funrtional groups with an appmpri- ate emphasis on descriptive chemistry, and a de-emphasis of synthesis and reactions.

Stereochemistry i.i presented as an optional special topic as is halogenated hydrurar- bons. This section also includes two special topica on drugs and one on organic sulfur compounds. A separate chapter introduces polymers.

Biochemistry is presented in chapters 20 through 29 and the three special topics vita- mins. hormones. and dieestion. No examole . .~ pmhiems are included: in fact, example pnrhlerns end with chapcer 18, amines. This lack of example problems for the section in which the chemical structures are by far the most complex is thegreatest shortcoming i f

this wxt. Bexinninp rhemirtrv students are likelv to have diffirultv with thissection

F& a~oendices are included: SI units. . . exoonential notation. simificant fimres. . w "~ ~~. and answers to selected probl~ms. Available supplements include a study guide, lab manual, instruetor'a manual, a set of index cards with multiple choice questions, and transparency masters.

The text is attractively printed in two col- ors with abundant marginal photographs and illustrations. I found very few printing errors, although I was disappointed to see that Rosalind Franklin was given no credit for the discovery of the DNA double helix. The authors use a conversational tone that should appeal to students. My only reserva- tion in recommending this text is that it would be difficult to cover all chapters in a year-long course. The authors have ad- dressed this universalorohlem bv the use of optional special topics rertions. Those pn,- grams offering a year.lonl: general. #l~gnnir. biochemrstry course should give this text very serious consideration.

Stella D. Elakovich University of Southern Mississippi

HaRiesburg. MS 38406

Polymer Chemlstry: An Introductlon, Second Edltlon

MaMalcolm P. Stevens. Oxford University Press: New York, NY, 1990. miii + 633 PP. Figs. and tables. 16.3 X 24.3 cm. $45.00.

In spite of the fact that the polymer in- dustry has heen the major employer of re- cent graduates for over a half century, the first undergraduate course in this most im- portant subject was not offered until 1945. I left academia in 1948 and did not return until 1960 when McGraw-Hill agreed to puhlish my expanded lecture notes. Coinci- dent to the publication of Introduction to Polymer Chemistry in 1971, the number of textbooks such as those by Winding and Hasche (1947), Schmidt and Marlies (19481, Hoowink (19481, D'AIelio (1952). Flory (19531, Billmeyer (19571, Golding (19591, Brydson (19661, Raave (19671, Margerison and East (1967) exceeded the number af undergraduate polymer chemistry courses offered by American colleges and universi- ties. Nevertheless, many publishers eontin- ued to update early editions and to intro- duce new polymer textbooks. Reston Puh- lishing Company puhlished Modern Plastics Technology by Seymour in 1975 and other polymer chemistry books were published by Rodriquez (1970), Cowie (1974). Kaufman and Falcetta (1977) and Bovey and Winslow (1979) in the 1970's. The first edition of Steven'sPolymer Chem- istry: An Introduction was puhlished hy Addison-Wesley in 1975.

After a survev hv Professor R. Deanin re- ~~~ ~ . ~, waled that t m few colleges and unrvm~it ie~ were offering at least one undergraduare oourrempol>merchemistry, Carraher and I

-Reviewed in This Issue

Revlewer John W. Hill andDorothy M. Feigl, Chemistry and Llfe: An Stella D. Elakovich A185

Introduction to General Organic, and Biological Chemistry. Third Edition

MBlcolm P. Stevens, Polymer Chemistry: An Introduction, Raymond B. Seymour A185 Second Edition

Seymour I. SchwaN and Wendy B. Praff, Hazardous Waste from Malcolm M. Renfrew A186 Small Quantity Generators

Adrian Berry, editor, Harrap's Book of Scientific Anecdotes Sidney Harris, You Want Proof? I'll Give You Proof Tltles of Interest New Volumes in Continuing Series Monographs

George B. Kaufmann A186 George B. Kaufmann A186

A187 A187 A187

Volume 68 Number 7 July 1991 A185