B O O K REVIEWS Learning, Role of Intuition in Learning, and Thinking and Cognitive Processes in Learning. Each group prepared its report upon its particular topic. The author summarizes these and the review of each by the conference as a whole. He does more, however, than mercly ~nmmarizeand report. He attacks the problems of education astutely and rlirectly. It is refreshing to find such new education perspectives emphasized in such good writing. The author states: "A hnfiic assumption throughout the discussions was that the fonndstions of an? subject may be taught to anyhody a t any ago in some form," and that "intellectual activity anywhere is the same whether at the frontier of knowledge or in
a third grade olassraom." Some tentative proposals that emerged from the conference were: Learning that is both understood and retained must have relevance to the ~t,rmturalform of the subject; if one respects the way of thooght of the growing child, it is possible to introduce him, a t an early age, to ideas and fitylm that, in later life, make an educated man; there is warrant to be concerned over failure to distinguish betwren articulnte idiocy and inarticulate gmios. Undw~tandingsare possihle to those who may not he shle to formulate them; the late bloomer, the early rebel, the child from the educationally indifferent home most not become the vkt,ims of ossified "meritocracy"; we cannot afford to alienate thc "literary intdlectoals" who may consider preferential awerda for scientific sehirvements
as an abandonment of traditional culture. In other m r d s , improved curricula for the humanities and the social sciences warrant prthlic concern as well as current attention to the natural sciences and mathematics. N e d i t he said that this attention to the learning process should receive considered emphasis comparable to that given the content studies of subject matter? For after all, education involves studenls as well as teachers and course content. While it is generally conceded that one cannot teach ~omet,hing he does not know, the \'foods Hole group would add that the "known" shonld include the "to nhom" ns well xs "the what."
B. CLIFFORDHENDRICKS Longview, Washington Biochemistry of Plants a n d Animals
M . Frank Mallelle, P a d I f . Althouse, and Cad 0.Clagetl, all of Pennsylvania Statc University, University Park. John RTileyand Sons, Inc., New York, 1960. rii 552 pp. Figs. and tables. 15.5 x 23.5 cnl. 85.50. .
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This book gives a broad treatment of agricultural biochemistry a t an elementary level. It originated from and was designed t,o replace "Introduction t o Agricultural Biochemistry" by Duteher, Jensen, and Althouse (Wiley, 1951). Very few:ehanges were made in types of subject covered in this teat; however, most of the chapters were completely rewritten and brought up to date. Less emphasis was placed on the historical development of biochemistry and more emphasis was placed on recent advances than in the original text. The hook is divided into three parts entitled General Bioehernistrg: Plant Birr chemistry, and Animal Biochemistry. The first part includes a brief history of the development of a.gricultural biochemistry, a chapter on the properties of matter which reviews elementary physical chemistry related to biochemistry, chapters on the main classes of biochemical compounds and a chapter on energy transfer and biological oxidation. Part 2 on plant biochemistry includes an elementary discussion of plant structure and composition followed by a campletely revised chapt,er on plant mctaholism which covcrs t,he basic metabolic reaction involved in photoqmthesis and the metabolism of csrbohydrates, lipids, and nitrogpn compounds. The detailed discussion of seed germination contained in the previous book is reproduced in chapter 10 of this book. The chapters on soils and fertilizers found in the parent book were condensed and included in the chapter on plant nrtbrition along with the discussion of the essential mineral elements. A new chapter, entitled Growth Regulation, contains a discussion of the environmental factors influencing growth and a discussion of plant hormones and regulators. This section, like most of the other sect,ionsin the book, will acquaint students with t h r fundamental principles of the subject bnt does not go into the subject in mrat defsil. (Contwwed on page A284)
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Journal o f Chemical Education
BOOK REVIEWS Part 3 on animal biochemistry covers this area rather thoroughly and includes some chapters on subjects which are not commonly discussed in detail in el* mentary biochemistry texts. The composition and function of various body tissue8 are discussed in sufficient detail
toms of vitamins are covered adequately in chapter 14. Chapters on the metabolism of minerah, carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins were completely revised and brought up t o date. The composition of feeds from various sources is presented in chapter 16 in much the same way as in the previous text; however, sections an antibiotics and hormones were added in the current text. A general discussion of the energy content of food is given in thr lsst chapter. An appendix consisting of 12 tables tabulates the recent data on food and feed composition and nutritional requirements of human beings and farm animals. Although this book is oriented toward students in the agricultural sciences the coverage is broad enough that the book could be used as an elementary text in biochemistry in other disciplines.
H. E. PARKER Purdue Uniuersitg Lafa,wtte, Indiana
The Chemistry of Lipids in Health and Disease
H . K . King, University of Liverpool, England. Charles C Thomas, Pub-
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lisher, Springfield, Illinois, 1960. viii 104 pp. Figs. 15.5 X 23.5 om. $3.75.
Perhaps the most important problem in clinical medicine today is the biochemistry of the condition known as atherosclerosis in which the metabolism of the lipids is alleged to play an important role. As stated in the preface of this book "A problem faces the medical man whether he be a student, in practice, or engaged in research who wishes to undentand this new situation. Excellent ~peeialistmonographs are svailable on most aspects of lipid biochemistry, but he will probably lack both the basic knowledge and the time to study them. I have written this book to help such people!' Actually, this is an extremely wellwritten discussion of the chemistry and biochemistry of the lipids with special emphasis in the last two chapters on "Lipids and Diet" and "Lipids and Atherosolerosia." Further as stated in the last chapter "It is not the purpose of this book either to put forward new theories or to sit in judgment an existing conflict. We aim rather a t acquainting the reader with the factual theoretical background needed to enable him to define the problem, to understand the various protagonists, and to bring his (Continued on page AS88)
A284 / Journal of Chemical Education
