book reviews The Logarithmic Century Ralph E. Lapp, (consulting physicist), Prentice Hall, Ine., Englewood Cliffs, N.J., 1973. 263 pp. Figs. and tables. 22.8 X 14.4 cm. $1.95.
An increasing number of books are now appearing about the energy crisis as i t replaces the environment as the nation's numher one problem. Hence one might expect an exponential growth in the number of such hooks. There are also a number of policies (and nonpolicies) arising from mushrooming government agencies a t all Levels. This interesting and provocative hook centers on exponential growth in all areas as the principal problem and as such is well worth reading. The author presents a welter of data, mast of it an semilogarithmie graphs and nearly all of it looking dismayingly similar. One thing the reader might wonder about is how Lapp preserves (apparently) his cheerful optimism in the face of what looks like a prognostication of certain disaster. The message of the hook seems to he that exponential growth in ell areas cannot he expected logically to continue, hut that we have not really evolved alternate strategies. The hook is very timely in that it deals a t great length with the petro-chemical shortage end the automobile. Lapp is very negative about the automobile ("Hell on Wheels" (title of Chap. 2) and "The great self-destruct mechanism of the Twentieth Century" (p. 240)). He examines a number of other energy problems uiz. nuclear energy and fusion but of course none of these is examined in much depth. The author is hardly a "no growth" advocate but he is not a "cancerite" either. The hook has two curious faults. One is a nearly complete lack of references. A few ,are scattered throughout the text and tahles but there is no bibliography; references are very general and, except where the author points out that he is skating on thin ice, all data are deemed equally reliable and acceptable. The other fault is a reluctance to editorialize in certain areas. This is particularly disappointing in Chap. 8 "The Control of Technology." The suthor discusses "scientists" as though they were a unit, all equally competent, impartial, and reliable, arrayed against a public with a strong anti-science bias. He early
points out that "Where science and polities collide, the latter is apt to carry the most momentum" (p. 20). But this is hardly equivalent to the lack of clout he assigns to the scientific establishment, especially as we view i t in retrospect. One can, for example, hardly assert that the decision to develop nuclear energy as an electric power source was not influenced by the scientists. This is especially disappointing t o me since I am hard put to think of anybody better equipped to write critically about technology assessment than Ralph Lapp both from the standpoint of knowledge and of independence. But for some reason, he has glossed over any penetrating criticism of science lohbying in this chapter. The author's presentation is lucid, literate, and non-mathematical; hence the book can well he used in a course for nonscience majors aimed a t examining the energy-environment dilemma. It could also he a valuable asset to public servants trying to cope with the same problems (if only they would read the book and understand it). To implement policy or choose among alternative paths without eonsidering the growth syndrome is impassible. In pointing this out, Lapp has written a very important book and rendered a valuable service. Harold W . Kohn. Ohio Power Siting Commissioo C o l o m b u ~Ohio 43216
Inorganic Syntheses. Volume XIV Edited by Aaron Wold, Brown University, Providence, Rbode Island and John K. Ruff, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia. McGraw-Hill Book Ca., New York, 1973. aiv + 237 pp. Figs. and tables. 23.6 X 15.6cm. $18.50. The general organization of this useful series has been discussed in previous reviews (see this Journal, 4fi, 69 (1969)). The present volume, which continues the intent to present "detailed and tested methods for the synthesis of inorganic campaunds-made available by contributors from all over the world." contains directions for the ~ r e ~ a r a t i oofnsome 78 different suhstances llsted under 39 different entries It fullowr the urganizatiunal pnuerni X t i a t -
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. . .A403 Ralph. E. Lapp, The Logarithmic Century Aaron Wold and JohnK. Ruff, editors, Inorganic Syntheses. Voiume X N . . A403 Robert F. Landel and Alan Rembaum, editors. Chemistry in Space Research . . .A403 S. J. Asheroft and G. Beech, Inorganic Thermodynamics . . .A404 Virginia R. Williams and Hulen B. Williams, Basic Physical Chemistry far . . . A404 the Life Sciences W. C. Rice, S.S.Chissick, and T. Rouensdale, editors, Wave Mechanics -The First Fifty Years . . . A404 New Volumes in Continuing Series . . . A404
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ed in Volume X, syntheses heing grouped according to area of interest. Of the four chapters, only the third, Transition Metal Complexes (41 pp., 19 preparations, 7 entries), will likely he of interest to instructors seeking syntheses far laboratory courses. Here new, improved general methods for the preparation of Co(IE) and Ni(I1) diamine and triamine complexes and dienionohis(etbylenediamine)cabslt(III) complexes, featuring high purity, high yield, and short reaction times, are given. Several other preparations simple enough for undergraduate use are also found in this section. The first and shortest of the four chapters, Phasphorus Compounds (27 pp., 10 preparations, 5 entries), and the second chapter, Non-Transition-Metal Compounds (28 pp., 11 preparations, 7 entries), on the other hand, while dealing with compounds of great interest to the practicing chemist, feature products or starting materials that are either toxic, corrosive, sensitive to air or moiarure, spontaneuusl) flammable. or potentially erplusive. Likrwise. Chaptrr 4. '%me Significant Solids (94 pp., 38 prepa. rations, 30 entries), which- &compasses well over half the hook, utilizes high temperature techniques (chemical transport and vapor phase reactions, arc melting, electrolysis of fused salts, and hydrothermal and flux growth) that will probably lie both beyond the resources of many college and university laboratories and the skill of the average student. Nevertheless, those interested in the increasingly important field of solid-state chemistry will find here syntheses of and characterization methods for single crystals of various refractory halides, oxyhalides, oxides, chalcagenides, phosphides, and silicides that have wide applicability to industrial and academic research. Aside from the minor complaint of the paucity of preparations suitable for undergraduate use, then, this volume is highly recommended as providing reproducihle syntheses far a variety of interesting compounds. George 8. Kautfman California State University Fresno,Caiiioroia 93740
Chemistry in Space Research Edited by Robert F Landel and Alan Rembaum, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology. American Elsevier Publishing Company, Inc., New York, 1972. xiii 653 pp. Figures and tables. 24 X 16 cm. $39.50, cloth. Contributors: D. F. Dipprey, N. W. Gahel, J. J. Hutchisan, N. J. Johnston, S. H. Kalfayan, M. Ladacki, W. F. Lihhy, H. E. Marsh., Jr.. D. P. Mellor. G. F. Pezdirtz, C. A. Ponnamperuma, M. Shen, T. F. Yen, and R. A. Young.
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This hook is a rather disjointed collection of eleven monographs published in the commendable attempt to demonstrate the role of chemistry in space exploration and, a t least implicitly, to show how man's space efforts have stimulated advances in chemistry. The eleven monographs present topics dealing with the unusual properties of the space environment; (Continued onpage A4041 Volume 5 1 . Number 8, August 1 9 7 4
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