Chalk up another one: The best of Sidney Harris (Harris, Sidney)
1
(magic). She says she feels like she is married to a migrating cir- cus entertainer." Koji has accomplished in his life an amount of work that nor- mallv would take about 25 man-lives. He pretends to lead a cha- otic fife, hut perhaps the opposite is true. ~Lrtainly, he knows well how to attract, motivate, and inspire able colleagues. An example of this is the Suntory Institute for Bioorganic Research (Suntor) of which Koji has been director since its inception in 1980, but he has now retired. He used to spend one to two weeks for each visit he made and there were four to five visits per annum. So he was mostly an absent director. How did he do such excellent work in two places so far apart? One explanation is superior air transpor- tation and effective communications (including fax). What are the characteristics of great chemists like Koji? Intelli- gence and dedication and working 14 hours or more a day for up to seven days a week This also means one who must find an un- usual kind of wife, who will support a regime where the husband spends most of his time with his mistress (chemistry). The editor of the series, Jeffrey Seeman, intended that the au- thors should act as role models for the younger generation of po- tential chemists. Koji Nakanishi has fulfilled this task admirably. Derek H. R. Barton Texas A&M University College Station, TX 77843 Die Allianz von Wissenschaft und lndustrie: August Wilhelm Hofmann (1818-1892): Zeit, Werk, Wirkung. Christoph Meineland Hartmut Scholz, Editors. VCH: WeinheimiNew York, 1992. Figs.. iilus., tables. x + 375 pp. 16.7 x 23.9 cm. DM 148.00; $95.00. August Wilhelm von Hofmann founded and became the first president of the Deutsche Chemische GesellschaR, a society pat- terned on the Chemical Soeietv of London (founded in 1848) and intended to unite nure and andlied chemist; bv fosterine c&ner- . ~ ~ ~ ~ , ~ , ~ , ~, " ~~~. ntion hehvrcn nendrmie and mdustrinl rcsrareh. Foundcr of the coal tar industry and one ufthr fuundws ofmudern chen~iitry and of modern chemical industry, he represenred n new type of ehcm- istry professor, who created "the alliance of science and industry," the title ofthe book being reviewed. This bilingual volume contains 22 papers (14 in German; eight in Enelish hv histonnns. hwtnnann of rhermstm. and academic and iidustrial chemists presented at a symposi;k held on May 5-6, 1992, in Berlin and co-sponsored by the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker, the Humholdt Universitat zu Berlin, and the Royal Society of Chemistry to commemorate the centenary of Hofmann's death. The papers deal with the major aspects of the life, work, and influence of this multifaceted individual. Topics in- clude science, mlture, and industry in Hofmann'a time; Liehig's and Hofmann's impact on British scientific culture; the nature of organic bases and the ammonia type; Hofmann and Heinrich Caro in England: the state of chemistry in Prussia and chemical lab* ratories hefore Hofmann; dyestuffs and structure-color relation- ships; the academic-industrial alliance in German chemistry; the Liehig and Hofmann schwls at the Prague universities and the develonment of chemistrv in Bohemia: reform of chemical educa- tmn in German universities; phosphorus and polymer chemw tncs: "Hofmann reactions" in modern synthetic chemistry: and drug qvnthrsis and mrdionnl chemlarry. George B. Kauffman California State University, Fresno Fresno, CA 93740 Chalk Up Another One: The Best of Sidney Harris Sldney Hams AAAS Press Amer can Assoclanon for the Ad- vancement of Sc ence, Washmgton, DC. 1992 20 2 r 20 2 cm Order from M A S Books P 0 Box 753, Dept A69 Wa oolt. MD 20604. $10.95 ($8.75 for MAS members) plus $4 shipping per order. PB. Who has just had his latest bwk published by the prestigious AAAS Press with a foreword hy no less a scientist than 1988 Nobel Physics laureate Leon M. Lederman? Sidney Harris, the Laureate of Laughs, that's who! Af~cionados of Hams'hysterical humor will welcome this "hest-of-the-best" collection of 146 cartoons from American Scientist, Management Reuiew, Medical Economics, Medical nibme, Medical World News, Priuate Practice, and The Wall Street Journal, which spans his quarter-century career as America's foremost zany observer of the scientific, medical, and academic worlds. For those unfamiliar with Harris' unique brand of drollery, this hook can serve as an ideal introduction to his lively wit as well as an enjoyable treat. No less than 18 cartwns feature one of his favorite locales, the blackhoard, whence the title. As a case in point, we are treated to Einstein, chalk in hand, on the verge of hispea! discovery, as he ponders the equations E = ma2 and E = mb , whlch he has just crossed out. Humor is a highly individual matter, hut science teachers who use it to enliven their lectures will find in this collection dozens of amusing sketches guaranteed to tickle the funny bone of even the most apathetic student. (Far the use of cartoons in science courses see Flannery, M. C. J. Call. Sci. Teach. 1993,22,239). These ear- toms (when photocopied with the publisher's permission) also make attention-getting pasquinades far bulletin hoards or office doors. We heartily recommend this hilarious volume for personal enjoyment or as a perfect gift far student or science teacher alike. George B. Kauffmanand Laurie M. Kauffman CaliforniaState University, Fresno Fresno, CA 93740 Titles of Interest Group Theory and Chemistry David M. Bishop. Dover Publications: 31 East 2nd Street, Mine- ola, NY 11501, 1993. xvi + 300 pp. Figs. and tables. 13.9 x 21.5 cm. $8.95 PB. This hook is written for advanced undergraduate-level and eraduate-level chemistm students as an intradudion to the sub- - iect of m u n theorv. Its a~nlications are demonstrated for chemi- " ~ & >----~ - - cal proke&. To assist chemistry students with the mathematice involved, the author has included the relevant mathematics in some detail in appendices to each chapter. The hwk can he read either as an introduction, dealing with general concepts (ignoring the appendices), or as a fairly comprehensive description of the subject (including the appendices). Communicating in Science: Writing a Scientific Paper and Speaking at Scientific Meetings Vernon Boofh. Cambridge University Press: New York, NY, 1993. xvi + 78 pp. 15.3 x 22.8 cm. $12.95 PB. This short hwk is designed ta help workers in all scientific dis- ciplines to present their results effectively. The fust chapter is about writing a scientific paper. Later chapters discuss the prepa- ration of manuscripts, speaking at meetings, and writing theses. One chapter is for scientists whose first language is not English. Another is addressed to those in North America. The last chapter gives information a b u t dictionaries, style hwks, and other liter- ature. Gas Chromatographic Retention Indices of Toxicologically Relevant Substances on Packed or Capillary Columns with Dimethylsilicone Stationary Phases, 3rd Revised and Enlarged Edition Deursche Forsch~ngsgeme8nschaH Commrssron for Cbnrcal- Tor~cologrcal Analysts VCh hew York hY 1992 407 pp Fgs anolabes 179~245cm 54500 Volume 70 Number I 2 December 1993 A331
Transcript of Chalk up another one: The best of Sidney Harris (Harris, Sidney)
(magic). She says she feels like she is married to a migrating cir- cus entertainer."
Koji has accomplished in his life an amount of work that nor- mallv would take about 25 man-lives. He pretends to lead a cha- otic fife, hut perhaps the opposite is true. ~Lrtainly, he knows well how to attract, motivate, and inspire able colleagues. An example of this is the Suntory Institute for Bioorganic Research (Suntor) of which Koji has been director since its inception in 1980, but he has now retired. He used to spend one to two weeks for each visit he made and there were four to five visits per annum. So he was mostly an absent director. How did he do such excellent work in two places so far apart? One explanation is superior air transpor- tation and effective communications (including fax).
What are the characteristics of great chemists like Koji? Intelli- gence and dedication and working 14 hours or more a day for up to seven days a week This also means one who must find an un- usual kind of wife, who will support a regime where the husband spends most of his time with his mistress (chemistry).
The editor of the series, Jeffrey Seeman, intended that the au- thors should act as role models for the younger generation of po- tential chemists. Koji Nakanishi has fulfilled this task admirably.
Derek H. R. Barton Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 77843
Die Allianz von Wissenschaft und lndustrie: August Wilhelm Hofmann (1818-1892): Zeit, Werk, Wirkung.
Christoph Meineland Hartmut Scholz, Editors. VCH: WeinheimiNew York, 1992. Figs.. iilus., tables. x + 375 pp. 16.7 x 23.9 cm. DM 148.00; $95.00.
August Wilhelm von Hofmann founded and became the first president of the Deutsche Chemische GesellschaR, a society pat- terned on the Chemical Soeietv of London (founded in 1848) and intended to unite nure and andlied chemist; bv fosterine c&ner- ~~~~~~~~ ~~~ ~~ ~~ ~~~ . ~~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ , ~ , ~ ~~ ~ ~ , ~, ~ ~ " ~~~. ntion hehvrcn nendrmie and mdustrinl rcsrareh. Foundcr of the coal tar industry and one ufthr fuundws ofmudern chen~iitry and of modern chemical industry, he represenred n new type of ehcm- istry professor, who created "the alliance of science and industry," the title ofthe book being reviewed.
This bilingual volume contains 22 papers (14 in German; eight in Enelish hv histonnns. hwtnnann of rhermstm. and academic and iidustrial chemists presented a t a symposi;k held on May 5-6, 1992, i n Berlin and co-sponsored by the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker, the Humholdt Universitat zu Berlin, and the Royal Society of Chemistry to commemorate the centenary of Hofmann's death. The papers deal with the major aspects of the life, work, and influence of this multifaceted individual. Topics in- clude science, mlture, and industry in Hofmann'a time; Liehig's and Hofmann's impact on British scientific culture; the nature of organic bases and the ammonia type; Hofmann and Heinrich Caro in England: the state of chemistry in Prussia and chemical lab* ratories hefore Hofmann; dyestuffs and structure-color relation- ships; the academic-industrial alliance in German chemistry; the Liehig and Hofmann schwls a t the Prague universities and the develonment of chemistrv in Bohemia: reform of chemical educa- tmn in German universities; phosphorus and polymer chemw tncs: "Hofmann reactions" in modern synthetic chemistry: and drug qvnthrsis and mrdionnl chemlarry.
George B. Kauffman California State University, Fresno
Fresno, CA 93740
Chalk Up Another One: The Best of Sidney Harris
Sldney Hams AAAS Press Amer can Assoclanon for the Ad- vancement of Sc ence, Washmgton, DC. 1992 20 2 r 20 2 cm Order from MAS Books P 0 Box 753, Dept A69 Wa oolt.
MD 20604. $10.95 ($8.75 for MAS members) plus $4 shipping per order. PB.
Who has just had his latest bwk published by the prestigious AAAS Press with a foreword hy no less a scientist than 1988 Nobel Physics laureate Leon M. Lederman? Sidney Harris, the Laureate of Laughs, that's who! Af~cionados of Hams'hysterical humor will welcome this "hest-of-the-best" collection of 146 cartoons from American Scientist, Management Reuiew, Medical Economics, Medical nibme, Medical World News, Priuate Practice, and The Wall Street Journal, which spans his quarter-century career as America's foremost zany observer of the scientific, medical, and academic worlds. For those unfamiliar with Harris' unique brand of drollery, this hook can serve as an ideal introduction to his lively wit as well as an enjoyable treat. No less than 18 cartwns feature one of his favorite locales, the blackhoard, whence the title. As a case in point, we are treated to Einstein, chalk in hand, on the verge of hispea! discovery, as he ponders the equations E = ma2 and E = mb , whlch he has just crossed out.
Humor is a highly individual matter, hut science teachers who use it to enliven their lectures will find in this collection dozens of amusing sketches guaranteed to tickle the funny bone of even the most apathetic student. (Far the use of cartoons in science courses see Flannery, M. C. J. Call. Sci. Teach. 1993,22,239). These ear- toms (when photocopied with the publisher's permission) also make attention-getting pasquinades far bulletin hoards or office doors. We heartily recommend this hilarious volume for personal enjoyment or as a perfect gift far student or science teacher alike.
George B. Kauffman and Laurie M. Kauffman California State University, Fresno
Fresno, CA 93740
Titles of Interest Group Theory and Chemistry
David M. Bishop. Dover Publications: 31 East 2nd Street, Mine- ola, NY 11501, 1993. xvi + 300 pp. Figs. and tables. 13.9 x 21.5 cm. $8.95 PB.
This hook is written for advanced undergraduate-level and eraduate-level chemistm students as an intradudion to the sub- - iect of m u n theorv. Its a~nlications are demonstrated for chemi- " ~ ~ & > ~ ~ ~ ~~~ ~ ---- ~ - -
cal proke&. To assist chemistry students with the mathematice involved, the author has included the relevant mathematics in some detail in appendices to each chapter. The hwk can he read either as an introduction, dealing with general concepts (ignoring the appendices), or as a fairly comprehensive description of the subject (including the appendices).
Communicating in Science: Writing a Scientific Paper and Speaking at Scientific Meetings
Vernon Boofh. Cambridge University Press: New York, NY, 1993. xvi + 78 pp. 15.3 x 22.8 cm. $12.95 PB.
This short hwk is designed ta help workers in all scientific dis- ciplines to present their results effectively. The fust chapter is about writing a scientific paper. Later chapters discuss the prepa- ration of manuscripts, speaking a t meetings, and writing theses. One chapter is for scientists whose first language is not English. Another is addressed to those in North America. The last chapter gives information a b u t dictionaries, style hwks, and other liter- ature.
Gas Chromatographic Retention Indices of Toxicologically Relevant Substances on Packed or Capillary Columns with Dimethylsilicone Stationary Phases, 3rd Revised and Enlarged Edition
Deursche Forsch~ngsgeme8nschaH Commrssron for Cbnrcal- Tor~cologrcal Analysts VCh hew York h Y 1992 407 pp Fgs anolabes 1 7 9 ~ 2 4 5 c m 54500
Volume 70 Number I 2 December 1993 A331
