book reviews General Science Puzzle Fun
Jennifer and Michael Leory. J. Weston Walch, Portland, Maine, 1978. No Figs. & Tables. xvii 50 pp. 816.75.
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General Science Puzzle Fun is a package of word puzzles designed for general science courses in middle-schools and junior-high schools. Seek-and-find word games, crossword puzzles, and anagrams with one letter of the word answer provided have approximately even distribution in the set. Of the fifty puzzles, 25 cover Biology and 3 cover Chemistry. The rest use Astronomy, Physics, Weather, Oceanography, Geology, and Space Travel as subjects. The solutions to the word puzzles depend upon thestudent's knowing, or being able to find, a body of facts. The puzzles could be improved by having some solutions depend upon concept understanding. Some of the puzzles ask the student to name people or places that might not be mentioned in some textbooks. If the classroom text does not give an answer, the teacher would have to provide other references or verbally fill the void. The authors state that the puzzles could he used as an introduction or a summary of a unit of study. These puzzles are another version of the old fashioned work sheet, except that this time the student should have some fun. It is thereviewer's opinion thatthe
puzzles would he used best as a teaching supplement to be used occasionally to break up the classroom routine. Bill Nickels SchoolcranCollege Livonia, Michigan 48151
The Basis of Organic Chemistry. Second Edition
Ralph J. Fessendm and Joan S. Fessenden, University of Montana. Allyn & Bacon, Ine., Boston, 1978. xiv 420 pp. Figs. and tables. 18 X 24 em.
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The first edition of this one-semester arganic text appeared in 1971 and was reviewed very adequately a t that time hy Q. R. Petersen (d. CHk:M. EDUC.. 49. A174 (1972). It is reassuring to see that in this second edition the authors have taken careful note of many of the criticisms leveled a t their first effort. There is no dauht that this newer version represents a substantial improvement which goes beyond a new ewer picture. There have been some substantial changes in the presentation although the format and chapter sequence remain basically the same. The first four chapters present fundamental concepts. The next five chapters discuss various classes of organic compounds and their reactions. Chapter 10 is a fourteen page summary of the first nine chapters, and the final eight chapters present relevant special topics with a decided emphasis on biulogically important molecules. The key word
marginal outline has been omitted while the breakdown of subject headings and subheadings has been improved. The relatively random use of green in the illustrations has been abandoned a t little or no cost to the understanding. Each chapter ends with a hrief but useful summary. Problems have been included in the text and also a t the ends of the later chapters where they had been omitted previously. Same synthetic problems have been added. Very brief answers are provided t o the odd-numbered problems only. A larger type and higher quality paper have been used to make the book more pleasing t o the eye. The first chapter on bonding has been substantially rewritten togive the student a somewhat clearer picture of this most fundamental concept. The discussion of optical isomerism has been moved from Chapter 2 to Chapter 11. Several chapter introductions have been rewritten in a more understandable fashion, particularly the one on Acids and Bases. The section on substitution and elimination has been shortened and simplified while an earlier error regarding Saytzeff orientation has been omitted rather than corrected. The section on petroleum chemistry has been expanded appropriately and sections have been included on photosynthesis, insect pheromones, prostaglandins, a n d nmr.
minor textual errors corrected. For example, the "half-assed resonance analogy" regarding mules, donkeys, and horses has been lifted from Morrison and Boyd, and on page 93 reference is made to"aeraaol repellents." The phonetic spellings have unfortunately been omitted from a very adequate index. In general, it is this reviewer's belief that the text should be competitive in the very prolific market to which it is directed. Randolph P. Thummal University of Houston Hoosfon. Texas 77004
Introduction to Biochemistry
Joseph I. Ruuth, University of Iowa. W. B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, 1978. Figs. & tables. 18 X 26 cm. ix 221 pp. $6.95.
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The author's aim in writing this hrief introductory textbook is to "stimulate students to learn and appreciate the role of hiuchemistry in the health sciences." He has succeeded best in this objective in the last two chapters, oneon body fluids and theother on drugs. For the most part the book offers a traditional survey for a one-quarter or onesemester course in hioehemistrv. Each
qualitative sort. Many of the problems on this book may be traced to the attempt of the author to keep it ~.oncise. A tremendous number of eompounds, reactions and terms are introduced with a minimal amount of explanation; mastery of the material by a student will require a lot of rote memory. For example, Konli,~uc,do n p o p A / & ) A144 / Journal of ChemlcalEducation
