Chemical Education Today
Book & Media Reviews The Basics of Chemistry (Basics of the Hard Sciences) by Richard Myers Greenwood Publishing Group: Westport, CT, 2003. 392 pp. ISBN 0313316643 (hardbound). $75. reviewed by Wheeler Conover
Why are the most basic reviews the hardest to write? I’ve picked up this book at least three times with the intention to write the review, but cheerful things such as grading papers and cleaning my desk have taken precedence. If it were a textbook, that would be one thing; if it were a study guide, that would be another—but this book can be used as neither because it lacks the depth and review problems necessary for one or the other. However, it is well written and describes most basics of introductory chemistry (sans stoichiometry and the associated mathematics). The book is printed in black and white with limited verbiage and illustrations. To be honest, it reminds me of someone’s lecture notes. It is printed in a two-column format with easy-to-read type. Myers pays more attention to the history of chemistry than is generally found in most introductory texts, but blends it with the topics under discussion. The book provides a sufficient number of basic formulas and chemical equations for each topic; a high-school advanced
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Journal of Chemical Education
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chemistry student could follow the discussion. My only fault with the equations, however, is that equilibria are presented with a double-headed single arrow instead of the familiar double arrows normally used. Myers performs a good service by discussing the periodic table and chemical bonding before discussing states of matter. However, the typical back-of-the-book topics are found in the back of this book, too (biochemistry, radiochemistry, organic, environmental, and descriptive inorganic). I believe the integration of these topics, found in the last five chapters of the book, would only enhance the basics in the first 15 chapters. Another nice feature is the list of sample experiments that students can perform. These are basic experiments that are usually found in a consumer chemistry course and are generally harmless—however, I wouldn’t want to do the seltzer-rocket experiment around some of my inquisitive students who might modify the experiment to suit their needs, so to speak. (At least the author doesn’t advocate building potato guns.) For the cost, this book would be a good general reference to either the library or a professor’s book collection. Since students usually fork over at least $120 for a chemistry text, I don’t recommend that they pay an additional $75 for this book. Wheeler Conover teaches at Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College, 700 College Road, Cumberland, KY 40823;
[email protected].
Vol. 81 No. 2 February 2004
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