nism and Theory in Organic Chemistry," Harper and Raw, 1976, appeared almost simultaneously. The latter contains more than twice the pages of Harris and Wamser. It is much more comprehensive. This reviewer's opinion is that there is a plaeo for texts of both types. It is likely that less prepared students will be better served by a concise text that concentrates on the most important points only, while more prepared students may be able to handle a more comprehensive text.
Fundamentals ol Orgsnic Reactlon Mechanisms
J. Milton Harris, University of Alabama, Huntsville, and Carl C. Wamser, California State University, Fullerton. John Wiley &Sons, Ine., New York, 1976. vi 384 pp. Figs. and tables. 17 X 25 em. $17.50.
+
This is a concise "working" text, not a comprehemive "reference" text. For a course of 80 lectures, the average lecture coverage would he 4.0 pages; there are 322 pages of actual expositive text, not counting blanks and pages devoted to references, hibliography, exercises, solutions, index, and prefatory matter. Following each of the eight chapters are exercises. 121 in all: solutions are -eiven far 117. I t is obvious that the authors kent their book spare intentionally.'Phe Prefacr states that the ruverage is " b r o a d hut "selwtivr," an accurate uharactrrimtiun. Thr contents seem to have been determined by the answers to questions such as the following: What are those things in phvsical-ormnic chemistry with whic
