BOOK REVIEWS definite pattern; namely, nomenclature, completion reactions, preparations, distinctions, separations, and problems. Since no desoriptive material is given, a student needs a previous understanding of how to approach these types of problems. The answers for all questions and problems, given in the second section, are brief and in some instances might leave a, weak student uncertain. For example, the type of process, such as oxidation, is given but the actual reagent and oonditions are not mentioned. A third section of the hook contains a summary of the rulcs of nomenclature, a list of trivial namrs with formulas, and
a. list of common named reactions with their conditions and wristions. The nomenclature rules follow those set forth by the Jamal of the Chemical Societv and Geneva convention (no reference is made to I.U.C. or I.U.P.A.C.), and differ slightly from those in Chemical Abslraets. Although this book is primarily a guide to the types of questions and problems to be expected on examinations in the British universities, it has merit in that i t emphasizes the fundamentals and interrelationships of organic chemistry. It should be noted no questions appear on the more rceent theoretical concepts now being introduced into beginning organic chemistry.
BERNARD A. NELSON Wheaton College Wheaton. Illinois
Photochemistry in the Liquid and Solid States
Edited by Lawrence J. Heidt, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Robert S. Livingston, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Eugene nabinouritch, University of Illinois, Urbana, and Farrington Danieb, University of Wisconsin, Madison. John Wilev & Sons. Ine.. New York. 1960. vi $ 174 pp: Fig's. and tablks. 22 X 28.5 cm. $6. This is a collection of papers presented a t a symposium held a t Dedham, M a s sachusetts, September, 1957, which had been arranged by a subcommittee of the National Research Council and the National Academy of Sciences on the photochemical stprage of energy. Most of the papers were published in the Journal of Physical Chemistry. It is unfortunate that the editors did not include the discussions of the papen made a t the meeting. The reviewer had the good fortune to be present and recalls that the discussions were often as interesting as the papers themselves and usuallv dealt with more fundamental cpestions"in photochemistry than did the papers. The editors have summarized the critcria for photochemical reactions which would utilize solar radiation. h'one of these systems discussed a t the meeting, photosynthesis excluded, even approumat? the properties desired. Tho silicon cell is an excellent solar energy converter but it has no electrical storage crtpacit.~. Efficient photochemioxl s,ystems yet to be found could avoid this difficulty. It is not feasible to review all the 25 excellent papers whieh are reprinted in the book. A few general remarks are in order, however. No explanation of the purely photochemiral aspects of phatosynthesis has been prescnted. No explanation of the nature of the latent image in silver halide photography has been presented. Thus, despite the efforts of photachemists, the biggest questions remain unanswered.
GERALD OSTER, Polytechnic Imtitule q f Brooklyn, New I'ork Brookl~~n, The Process of Education
Jerome S . Bmner, Harvard University. Cambridge, Msssschusetts. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1960. xviii 07 pp. 14 X 20.5cm. $2.75.
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This book makes publio the "sensc of the meeting" from a conference held a t Woods Hole in 1959. It differs from other reports, as the title suggests. This group waa less concerned with content than with process of education. The personnel consisted of 34 men from the fields of science, history, language, psychology, and education. After preliminary sessions for reviewing reports of subject-matter studies (such as the PSSC), the members were distributed into five work groups to examine these topics: Sequence of Curriouhm, Apparatus of Teaching, Motiv~tioian of (Continued n page A282)
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B O O K REVIEWS Learning, Role of Intuition in Learning, and Thinking and Cognitive Processes in Learning. Each group prepared its report upon its particular topic. The author summarizes these and the review of each by the conference as a whole. He does more, however, than mercly ~nmmarizeand report. He attacks the problems of education astutely and directly. It is refreshing to find such new education perspectives emphasized in such good writing. The author states: "A hnfiic assumption throughout the discussions was that the fonndstions of an? subject may be taught to anyhody a t any ago in some form," and that "intellectual activity anywhere is the same whether at the frontier of knowledge or in
a third grade olassraom." Some tentative proposals that emerged from the conference were: Learning that is both understood and retained must have relevance to the ~t,rmturalform of the subject; if one respects the way of thooght of the growing child, it is possible to introduce him, a t an early age, to ideas and fitylm that, in later life, make an educated man; there is warrant to be concerned over failure to distinguish betwren articulnte idiocy and inarticulate gmios. Undw~tandingsare possihle to those who may not he shle to formulate them; the late bloomer, the early rebel, the child from the educationally indifferent home most not become the vkt,ims of ossified "meritocracy"; we cannot afford to alienate thc "literary intdlectoals" who may consider preferential awerda for scientific sehirvements
as an abandonment of traditional culture. In other m r d s , improved curricula for the humanities and the social sciences warrant prthlic concern as well as current attention to the natural sciences and mathematics. N e d i t he said that this attention to the learning process should receive considered emphasis comparable to that given the content studies of subject matter? For after all, education involves studenls as well as teachers and course content. While it is generally conceded that one cannot teach ~omet,hing he does not know, the \'foods Hole group would add that the "known" shonld include the "to nhom" ns well xs "the what."
B. CLIFFORDHENDRICKS Longview, Washington Biochemistry of Plants a n d Animals
M . Frank Mallelle, P a d I f . Althouse, and Cad 0.Clagetl, all of Pennsylvania Statc University, University Park. John RTileyand Sons, Inc., New York, 1960. rii 552 pp. Figs. and tables. 15.5 x 23.5 cnl. 85.50. .
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This book gives a broad treatment of agricultural biochemistry a t an elementary level. It originated from and was designed t,o replace "Introduction t o Agricultural Biochemistry" by Duteher, Jensen, and Althouse (Wiley, 1951). Very few:ehanges were made in types of subject covered in this teat; however, most of the chapters were completely rewritten and brought up to date. Less emphasis was placed on the historical development of biochemistry and more emphasis was placed on recent advances than in the original text. The hook is divided into three parts entitled General Bioehernistrg: Plant Birr chemistry, and Animal Biochemistry. The first part includes a brief history of the development of a.gricultural biochemistry, a chapter on the properties of matter which reviews elementary physical chemistry related to biochemistry, chapters on the main classes of biochemical compounds and a chapter on energy transfer and biological oxidation. Part 2 on plant biochemistry includes an elementary discussion of plant structure and composition followed by a campletely revised chapt,er on plant mctaholism which covcrs t,he basic metabolic reaction involved in photoqmthesis and the metabolism of csrbohydrates, lipids, and nitrogpn compounds. The detailed discussion of seed germination contained in the previous book is reproduced in chapter 10 of this book. The chapters on soils and fertilizers found in the parent book were condensed and included in the chapter on plant nrtbrition along with the discussion of the essential mineral elements. A new chapter, entitled Growth Regulation, contains a discussion of the environmental factors influencing growth and a discussion of plant hormones and regulators. This section, like most of the other sect,ionsin the book, will acquaint students with t h r fundamental principles of the subject bnt does not go into the subject in mrat defsil. (Contwwed on page A284)
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