When other, occasional competitors emerge on the market, veteran professors of this genre of chemistry invariably compare the new offering to "Hill." Chapter for chapter, topic for topic, this volume is the most comprehensive review of chemical principles and introduction to applied chemistry available for liberal arts students. Three courses can be designed using this text. For the dass in which few students have had prior experience in chemistry, Chapters 1through 12 comprise afine, minimally-mathematid introduction to the basics, including organic chemistry and polymer chemistry. Inorganic chemistry is rendered justice in an excellent chapter based on geochemistry. If the professor encounters serendipity and finds that each student in hisher class has had a solid grounding in high school chemistry, a one-semester course could begin with Chapter 9 (geochemistry), incorporate the organic and polymer chemistry chapters, and then segue into a fascinating look at eight or nine of the remaining chapters covering such diverse topics as farm chemistry, sports chemistry, cosmetics, and toxicology. For the full-year (two-semester) course, the 24 chapters studied in sequence incorporate the best of the two half-year courses described above. Perhaps the most noticeable deficiency in this edition (as in previous editions) is the absence of a basic introduction to the gas laws and kinetic theory. Although the high school and introductory eollege-level chemistry courses approach these topics with considerable mathematics, instructors have for years been able to teach the concepts with reduced quantitative manipulations. Hill weaves magic in his treatments of other complex chemical topics (such as atomic structure in Chapter 3); it is bewildering why he has not included these two chemistry touchstones in his otherwise comprehensive course. At the same time, this reviewer, using the current and previous editions of this text for some six years, has found the introductions to nuclear chemistry (Chapter 4) and oxidation-reduction chemistry (Chapter 8) the most difficult topics to transmit successfnlly to the type of student enrolled in a general education chemistry course. Perhaps the gas laws and kinetic theory could replace one of these Least-popular chapters in future editions; Hill's masterly narrative style can surely make other chemical topics as appealing as most presented in the current volume. This text is extremely readable. Students can catch up easily on missed classwork independently using only the text and being guided by assigned end-of-chapter questions. These exercises include drill, quantitative prohlems (where appropriate), and essay questions. Ample questions are included for each chapter, allowing the professor to emphasize one or two topics and still have a significant number of reinforcement exercises available for student review. Answen to selected problems are included in an appendix, as well as a fine glossary. The title of this text reflects the era in which it emerged to address the needs of nonscience majors who demanded relevance in their general educetion. Its endurance and growth in stature through the frivolous
1970's and reactionary 1980's give testimony to its intrinsic value as a learning aid. Now, in the 1990's and on the occasion of its 20th anniversary, Chemistry for Changing Times is not merely a part of the Estahlishment, it is the Establishment af fine chemical education for yet another generation of college students who wish to emerge as seientifically-literate citizens in the context of their specific professions. For the professor charged with this awesome and rewarding challenge, this text offers solid, accurate chemistry in a matchless, appealing style and provides virtually unlimited latitude for individual todeal preferences and instructional s t y l e s . . ~borrow ~ a phrase from the current collegiate vernacular, you "can't touch this"; there is no equal. Roger R. Festa Normeast Missourl State University Kirksvliie. MO 63501
Chambers Concise Dictionary
(Roentgen), and Jacobus Henrikus for Jacobus H e n r i m (van't Haff), or lack of diacritical marks, for example, in Heyrovskii, Le ChBtelier,andRuiiEka. Asimou'sBiographieal Dictionary of Science & Technology (2nd rev. ed.; Doubleday: Garden City, NY, 1982; xxxv 941 pp) is mare than double the length of the volume under review and contains almost twice the number ~~.11510) , of entrira, which are also more detailed. However, it is more expensive 639.95 I'H). Thua. I am pleased to recommend Chambers Dictionary as an attractively priced, concise, handy reference book for scientists and bistorians of science. Georae 0. Kauffman Califmia State University. Fresno Fre8n0. CA 93740
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Sclentlds David, Ian, John, andMargaret Miilar. W. & R. Chambers. Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge: Edinburgh. Scotland. 1989 (HB),1990 (PB). illustrations. 461 pp. 15.3 X 23.2 cm., $29.95 HE.
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This bioeraohical dictionarv contains ,. concise profiles of 882 men and women n ho made vutstanding cmtributiuns to the phgriral, life. earth, and space sciences and to mathematics. Explorers, engineers, physicians, and surgeons who were substantial innovators as applied scienitsts are also included. Alphabetically arranged from Abbe to Zwomkin and coverine a time soan from the ancient Greeks to t
