in the stars; the second covers primordial nucleosynthesis (the Big Bang) and cosmic ray spallation; and a group of papers on the problematic abundances of lithium follows. The nucleosyntheses of the elements up to, and then beyond, the abundance peak at iron are discussed in the fourth and fifth sets, respectively. Galactic evolution and the time-scale involved are con- sidered in the sixtb group, and the book concludes with anomalies of relative isotopic abundancies in the final section. Each contribution is self- contained with its own references, leading to some duplications. The book contains no indexes.

The book as a whole brings up a number of important points: firstly that DNA in vivo is a three-dimensional entity, and processes such as transcription, replication, and recombination can be intluenced by the level of packaging of DNA into cbromatin; secondly, that there is a wealth of interesting data emerging from the genome sequencing projects. For example, two years of sequencing yeast chromosome III has revealed about five times as many genes as the previous 40 years of classical genetic analysis.

This book is suitable not only for those working in this field, but also for the geneticist or undergraduate who would like to learn a little more about the subject.

survey of the interactions between photosyn- thetically active algae or cyanobacteria and fungi. In place of topics such as taxonomy, bio- geography, and ecology are chapters reflecting the author’s broad research interests in the nature and properties of the isolated symbionts, the achievement of resynthesis, and how the bionts may interact biochemically and physiologically in the intact lichen. Although in their lichenological infancy, some molecular biological topics are introduced. The book is full of inter- esting personal insights and interpretations. The style is sometimes a little stilted, but this reflects a valiant attempt to incorporate the currently frag- mentary literature into a framework that should be stimulating to other workers, despite some factual errors and debatable omissions. This book, with an up-to-date reference list occupying 58 of its 250 pages and a further 16 pages of practical comments on symbiont culture and resynthesis procedures, would be a valuable addition to any lichenologist’s library. Unfortunately, the price of this hardback edition makes it improbable that the author’s efforts will reach the fullest audience it deserves.

Stephen Mason

Men among the Mammoths. Victorian Science and tbe Discovery of Human Preblstory. By A. Bowdoin Van Riper. Pp. 267. University of Chicago Press. 1993. ISBN 0 226 84991 0.

J. M. Craig

One of the most interesting developments in our ideas about human antiquity is the clearer picture of the time scale involved that began to emerge duringthesecondhalfofthelastcenttuy,atatime when rapid strides were also being made in under- standing evolution itself. In this volume, Van Riper explores some of the background of discus- sion, argument, and emerging consensus that surrounded the issue of human contemporaneity with extinct animal species, and the difficulties that faced those who accepted the force of the argument at a time when absolute ages could not be assigned to prehistoric events. He gives a detailed account of the major discoveries in England and France that provided the basic evidence, and then goes on to discuss the larger social and scientific context of the revolution in thought that a lengthy prehistory produced, in- cluding the implications of human antiquity for an evolutionary origin in place of the Biblical account of Creation.

Nobel Lectures: Pbysiology or Medicine 1981- 91 Edited by Jan Lindsten. Pp. 584. World Scientific, Singapore. 1993. Paperback ZSBN 981-02-0793-X.

With this volume World Scientific continues its programme of publishing - on a lo-year basis - the Nobel Lectures from 1970, up to which time Elsevier had undertaken the task. The first volume for Physiology or Medicine (197 1 - 1980) appeared last year: the present one completes the task up to 1990. These lectures, delivered during the annual week-long celebrations in Stockholm in December, are the only obligatory task of the Laureates, and they are prepared with appropriate care. Collectively, they represent an authoritative and fascinating review of recent progress in the prize winners’ respective fields. Although limited to a IO-year period, this volume reprints 22 lectures, for it is now common practice for the prizes to be shared. In fact, only in 1983 and 1985 were there single prize winners (Barbara McClintock and Suzanne Tonegawa). The lectures themselves follow conventional lines. In some respects equally interesting are the citations made at the prize-giving ceremony, outlining each Laureates’ claim to fame. Additionally, each lecture is preceded by a personally prepared bio- graphical sketch of the laureate. Some of these are unimaginative, compiled on who’s who lines, but others illustrate the extraordinarily varied career patterns that have led to this ultimate accolade.

The book is well written and the arguments set forth with full reference to original sources (albeit with the annoying footnotes that authors outside the sciences seem unable to do without). One thing it does lack, however, is an adequate series of illustrations. The 11 figures, which include a rather uninteresting map and some tables seem- ingly unmodified from the author’s original computer printout, really do not do justice to the subject.

Alan Turner

The Chromosome. By J.S. Heslop-Harrison and R. B. Flavell. 4. 281. Bios Scienrific Publishers, Oxford. 1993. f49.50 ISBN I 872748 32 5.

This book contains 18 selected reviews (and speculations) from a John Innes Symposium of the same name held in Norwich in September 1992. Each review, however, has been brought up to date, which is a credit to the editors and authors.

Included are excellent reviews on genetic recombination, the E. coli genome project, telomeres, DNA methylation and C,G islands, position effect variegation, parental imprinting, physical organisation of nuclei, and sequencing the yeast genome. Colour photographs are included when necessary, but are all together in a central section.

They reveal, tco, an interesting age pattern. Gn the whole, a prize comes in late middle age: the average of this particular group at the time of the award was 61. Only one, George Kiihler (38), rewarded for his research on monoclonal antibodies, was under 40. His fellow Laureates in this field were C&r Milstein (57) and Niels Jeme. (73). At the other end of the scale some prize winners have had to wait a dangerously long time for recognition. Kita Levi-Montacini (nerve growth factor) was 77; Barbara McClintock (‘jumping genes’) was 81, after years in the wilderness; and George Hitchings (dihydrofolate reductase) was a venerable 83.

Trevor I. Williams

The Lichen Symbiosis. By Vernon Ahmaajian. Pp. 2.50. Wiley, Chichester. 1993. f58 ISBN 0 471 578 851.

The title clearly represents the emphasis of this book. It is not a comprehensive coverage of all aspects of lichenology for beginners but a selective

D.H. Brown

Annual Review of Biochemistry. Volume 62. Edited by C.C. Richardson. Pp. 1039. Annual Reviews Inc., Stanford. 1993. $52 ISBN 0 8243 0862 X.

With new review series appearing ever more frequently to satisfy our need to keep abreast of advances in the Life Sciences, the arrival each year of this solidly bound blue cloth octave tome brings to the more. conservative a reassuring sense of wntinuity with the past. This very conservatism in format may lead others to dismiss it as old fashioned.

Does such an annual review still have a niche within the review literature? The present volume contains 29 reviews, each of about 30 pages and citing about 200 references. Each author (or authors, since only nine are. single-author reviews) is therefore able to cover a fairly broad topic to a depth sufficient to satisfy readers whose own research or advanced teaching relates to that subject. The accessibility of these reviews is a tribute to the clarity and style of the authors’ prose, since figures are relatively sparse and with no use of wlour. Most readers will, like me, find at least two or three ‘must reads’ and benefit from the short ‘introduction/perspective/overview’ at the beginning of the remainder. Still a niche? Yes. Value for money? At less than fourpence per page, most certainly.

J. Goddard

Crop Protection and Sustainable Agriculture. CIBA Foundation Symposium 177. Pp. 285. Wiley, Chichester. 1993. f45.00 ISBN 0 471 93944 7.

These proceedings authoritatively review the needs for more sustainable crop production and problems which were not foreseen in the context of agricultural research and development of earlier decades. Advancing technology harnessed to short-term market-force interests have led to a dramatic ‘intensification’ of modem agricultural practices now being adopted by Third-world countries. Tables and figures illustrate current

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