2 comments about Modern Chemistry.

1. Those of you who cannot understand chemistry either because the teacher does not know how to teach or you really do not want to listen...THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU. The book is a nice manual for those who cannot comprehend chemistry. It will be like your virtual teacher in print. My only complain about this book is that it is too long. But at least it is comprehensive. And what I like most in this book is it is divided into many sections which made it easier to digest.



2. I thought that this was a great book. I used it for honors chemistry in high school and used the book more than the teacher did because I thought that the book gave some really good examples and lessons, which were completely worked through. This is a great book for people just starting to take chemistry. But beware, a few little topics are passed up, like calculating physical changes.

5 comments about Chemistry: Concepts and Problems: A Self-Teaching Guide (Wiley Self-Teaching Guides).

1. This book is excellent! I am studying for an entrance exam and I am retaking chemistry in summer school. I feel that I now have a better understanding of the basic concepts. The only section I did not like was the explanation of electron configuration. Electron configuration is one of the simplest concepts in chemistry, this section was not written well. I took chemistry before and found it boring and I didn't understand it. I wish I had purchased this book before I had taken chemistry the first time.



2. This text helped me study for the Praxis teacher certification test in Chemistry in March 2007. It is a solid text with a question-and-answer format. It's most recent copyright is 1996, but for basics it truly scores.



3. This book is amazing for the beginner with no backround in chemistry. It explains the basics of the quatum theory model in a very concise and easy to understand way. The only problem with this book is that the answer for each question appears right after it.
   
   I recommend it to any beginner!



4. I took High School, then (struggled through) College Chemistry nearly 30 years ago. This year, my 16 y.o took Chemistry and found himself TOTALLY lost...I decided to become his tutor. This book was able to re-teach me a basic understanding of nearly all the introductory Chemistry principles. It was quite a valuable resource! It does NOT contain the present day use of the I.C.E. method to solve Equilibrium problems, nor does it contain the concepts remaining on the last of this year's high school syllabus / schedule (Hess's Law and Redox?) These are the only reasons I am not giving it a 5 star--otherwise, it has carried us for nearly this entire year!
   
   If you're searching for an easy-to-understand Chemistry help book, look no further...



5. As a struggling college student in chemistry I decided to take a time and look through a few Chemistry books. The book keeper that was there suggested this one. Its ok, but its kind of bland for my tastes. It constists of the following order a short explaination, followed by a question and answer sequence. Pesronally I believe this book is good for the extra practice or possibly brushing up on chemistry skills but its not recommended for those students who are struggling.

5 comments about The Cartoon Guide to Chemistry (Cartoon Guide To...).

1. I used this book in conjunction with a textbook in my general chemistry course over the summer. This book helped illustrate things left unclear in my textbook and give a better intuitive feel for what I was doing. On its own its probably not spectacular since there are gaps to be filled but as a supplement it is amazing.



2. I am a high school chemistry teacher. I was totally disapointed with the book to the point of returning. It is factually correct, but lame. The only thing I gleaned from this book was the origin of the word alchemist. I would not by this book. William "Douey" Doucette



3. It is so basic in concepts and the presentation (materials and graphics)is not as good as I thought. It would be useful to show some pages of the book to the customers.



4. I have all of Gonick s great cartoon books and was really expecting more from this one... I am teaching chemistry and was disappointed. Just compare it with Genetics in cartoons...Chemistry is not as boring as shown here, Larry!



5. This book is required summer reading for AP Chemistry. Looks like a fun way to get an overview of the subject.

5 comments about Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry.

1. This book is one of the best biochemistry available. It presents an extensive amount of valuable concepts and information a highly readable manner. I used this text as an undergraduate and even as a gradduate student I find it impossible to part with it. The understanding biochemistry CD that is included with the book is also an excellent tool for revision. I found that the retention of information and ease of understanding is higher when the book is used in conjunction with the CD. It comes highly recommended for any serious students of biochemistry and as an invaluable reference.



2. If you are a undergraduate or a graduate student who needs to learn some biochemistry from the ground up (without an instructor), this is the text for you. Lehninger really outdoes himself by creating a Biochemistry textbook that's not only colorful and pretty to look at but also wonderfully written. Of all of the science textbooks I've had to read to date, this was the best! Lehninger really does write the text so that it's like reading a novel, which allows for maximum absorption of the material he covers. Occasionally, I hit spots in my reading which were harder to understand, but that was because my own ignorance and not his. He begins the text with a review of the basics of general chemistry and organic chemistry which come into play with the biochemistry subject matter. Then he continues on, developing the student's foundations with describing protein structure and protein function, working his way up with enzymatic properties and activities. Carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids come next. The last section of the book is devoted to biochemical mechanisms, which is alot, but it is covered adequately for a beginner's textbook. The only major drawback: many of the answers to the chapter questions are wrong, hopefully, this will be addressed in the 4th Ed. If your school doesn't use Lehninger, protest, write treatises, do anything to convince your Biochemistry professor to use this text to teach you biochemisty! It's expensive, but once you have this textbook, don't ever sell it because if you're going into chemistry or biochemistry, it will be a priceless resource for your future studies!



3. This book is complete and thorough in explaing every energy pathway (Kreb's cycle, electron transport system, glycolysis, etc.) The diagrams are helpful and explain the material with visual detail especially in this type of book. The only thing, the book is somewhat hard to understand for reading it the first time. I know biochemistry is a hard subject, but I thought it could be explained in a little easier fashion. However, other than that, the book is quite organized and a must buy for every chiropractic student taking biochemistry. I also highly recommend:
   National Board of Chiropractic Part I Study Guide: Key Review Questions and Answers
   Both these books I found very helpful for studying for the National boards. The text is a must for studying for the biochemistry part of the chiro boards.



4. The Lehninger Princicples of Biochemistry is the best book in biochemistry that has been written. I have use it in my biochemistry course in my first year in school medicine and thanks to this book I pass my class with one of the best notes in the group. Any other book exposes the biochemistry principles with clarity and coherence like the Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry. I can't wait for the 4th edition.



5. As a physics graduate student interested in biophysics research, I found this text an invaluable resource. I had intro chemistry as an undergrad and AP bio in high school, but no organic chemistry or any other background. This text contained a clear introduction to biochemistry and described a lot of the techniques I was reading about in scientific papers in language that a non-chemist could understand. I still refer back to it frequently.

5 comments about Cracking the AP Chemistry Exam, 2008 Edition (College Test Prep).

1. I've been through countless AP review books; I'm a junior and I've taken 4 AP exams, and I'm set to take 5 more in the next two weeks.
   I feel my knowledge is very intimate on AP books and prep.
   I say this because I think the people on Amazon tend to rate negative reviews poorly and positive reviews nicely, and I'd like to boost my credibility. Well folks, face it: some of these big name books just don't cut it, and I'm telling you that Princeton Review's AP Chemistry does not cut it.
   
   While it is a good review, it does not have enough content nor explanations to be considered a premier test prep book. The explanations are brief, as if they assume that you have adequate knowledge on the topic already. They leave some holes, leaving you implying at best.
   Equilibrium, by far the most complex and difficult subject on the AP Chemistry exam, is way undercovered. The chapter covers nothing that shows up on their practice problems, and the explanation is hurried and concise.
   
   On the flipside, The Princeton Review does an outstanding job of boxing all of the important formulas and explaining the variables. It is a good idea to put these formulas on flashcards.
   Another positive is the teenage-friendly words, which may go far in explaining concepts in ways that a college textbook may not.
   
   While the Princeton Review delivers on some concepts, it falls tremendously short on others. It's exactly what it advertises to be: a review.



2. This book is brilliant. Like all Princeton Reviews, this book is as concise as it is thorough. Critics underrate the value and usefulness of this book due to its lack of content. While it's true that this book does not cover everything you need to know to answer every question correctly on the exam, it covers enough for you to be prepared to answer the majority of the questions and to make educated guesses on the few that you may not know (remember, you can skip almost one-third of the questions and still get a five!).
   
   Get this book if you want to spend the least amount of time reviewing while still having a very good shot at getting a five on the AP exam. Don't listen to those who say that this book "isn't enough"; it is.



3. The book was used by my daughter and she found it very useful for her AP Chemistry Test.



4. I'm a junior in AP chemistry. I've slacked off all year, my grades on exams were generally Bs and Cs, but I wanted a chance for redemption: I intended to do well on the AP chemistry exam. Not just well -- I wanted a 5.
   
   So, a few days before the exam, intimidated by the voluminous textbooks, filled with dry, academic pages, I decided to wander into my local book-store to purchase this little gem. It looked like it covered all the topics that I had no clue about on my class exams, so figured that I could learn from this book -- and I was right!
   
   I spent a total of 10 consecutive hours reading the book, doing all the practice problems, and going over what I did wrong. I learned a lot -- I essentially doubled my knowledge of chemistry over the course of less than a day. When the exam came, I walked into the test center, a little nervous, but confident overall because I'd prepared. As I completed the exam, I was in shock as to how easy the questions were. That was for the multiple choice. I said to myself, "there's no way in heck that the free responses will be this easy!".
   
   I was wrong. When I did the free-response, I found myself able to wield the tools of chemistry like a guy who'd actually paid attention all year. With confidence, I completed each question in full confidence: there was nothing that I didn't know how to do on the free responses (okay, there was one part of an essay, but meh).
   
   I am confident that because of this book, I scored a five. Not just a "skin-of-my-teeth" five, but a true, solid A.
   
   If you want to prepare for AP chemistry, read this book, do the exercises, and relax. You're on your way to a five.



5. I believe the best time to review a book, especially one that is a test/AP Exam prep book is when the test is actually over; this way, the reviewer can make comparisons as to what was effectively covered.
   Princeton Review has helped me very much in the past, so I have absolutely nothing against the company; however, this book was dissapointing. The actual AP exam's questions were much more challenging than the ones in the book. This really game me a false sense of security. 97% of BOTH practice tests (two are provided in the PR AP Chem. book) were no where similar to the questions on the actual AP exam. Not to mention the FRQ's in the book were entirely different than those on the actual AP exam.
   What this book lacked were the lab questions, which (in this year's AP Exam) was tested quite heavily. In fact, a whole 5-6 part FRQ was devoted solely on. Thus, my advice to you, if you are looking for a good practice book. Don't get one. Go to the College Board's website, find the AP Chemistry site, find their old posted Exams. Practice those. The questions there, in retrospect, are the ones you will probably see in future AP Chem Exams. And, if you REALLY know how to use [...] search engine tools, you can probably find a plethora of old AP exams on other Chemistry AP teachers' websites.

5 comments about Organic Chemistry I For Dummies.

1. Needing a supplement to my Organic Chemistry textbook I picked this up, which was more or less a waste. It simply doesn't provide enough to better understand college level Organic Chemistry, maybe High School. It read and felt like a dumbed down bad textbook, with bad attempts at humor thrown in; maybe to dull up the reading. Don't get me wrong there are helpful parts of the book... just few and far between. After my disappointment I picked up Organic Chemistry Demystified, a definite college/grad level supplement which was very good, and the quizzes helped immensly.



2. Had been a while siince i took general chemistry and so found organic a little hard. My professor suggested buying this book it was the best $19.99 that i ever spent. Too bad there was no guide for Organic 2!



3. This book really helped me understand the course by simplifying a lot of the topics.



4. This book is great if you are a pre-professional health science major and need to learn the inner workings of Organic Chemistry. It gives you some insight before you take the class on how to succeed in studying in it, so you can make that "A" that your admissions board will be proud to see on your transcript. I highly recommend it.



5. I bought this book thinking it might be helpful over the course of my Orgo I class, however, this book turned out to be way tooooo Basic to be of any help at all. I also thought that the order and ways which the reactions and concepts were not done well at all. Poor coverage of electrophilic addition.

5 comments about Chemistry: Text.

1. I feel bad giving this a book a two, simply because of the quality of the information in it. It goes over everything you would ever need to know about chemistry, and in great detail... However, This textbook is exactly what the name implies, a textbook. The authors make no effort to simplify the info, they divulge all of their chemistry knowledge in a dry, monotonous format.
   
   This is our high-schools text book for AP Chemistry. (College level chemistry offered to high-schoolers.) I'm sure this is a fantastic textbook for those simply looking for cold, hard information, but if you want something digestible, this is not it. Again, I apologize to you college students and professors who think this is a fantastic source of information. (Because it most certainly is.)
   
   However, if you want a digestible, easy to read textbook, look into Raymond Chang's "Chemistry." This was my sister's college chemistry textbook, and I now use it in the place of our Zumdahl text... I don't feel I am doing Chang's text justice by "babying" it. It provides just as much info as the Zumdahl textbook, but in a more comfortable, and logical, format. I would choose Chang's textbook over Zumdahl any day.



2. I used this book for General College Chemistry and I would like to say that this is possibly the worst Textbook I have ever used. It is poorly written and is quite simply hard to follow. I would recommend that you purchase an adjunct Chemistry textbook if you are going to use this one.



3. It was exactly what I needed. And it was a way good price. 1/2 the price they sold it for at my school bookstore.



4. I had to buy this book for my chemistry class and it would have been almost $180, but I found it at a great price in good condition from koug58.



5. The author is way too long winded and the book is hard to follow. I spent lots of time looking online for other explanations to what I was supposed to get from this book. Whoever wrote that it is more of a collection of chemistry stuff than an explanation of the concepts is completely on target. I found "Chemistry: Concepts and Problems: A Self-Teaching Guide (Wiley Self-Teaching Guides)" a wonderful walk through guide that is very understandable and teaches what this Chemistry book of over 1000 pages, just can't get across. I should mention that the online tutorials were too general to be useful and the site was down for 2 weeks when I started class and now has been moved and it will not allow me to access using the same code as before the transfer to a new site. Tech support was not very helpful and just kept telling me to be patient...for two weeks while they fixed the website....horrible experience.

5 comments about Chemistry: The Central Science.

1. The book came quickly with express delivery and it was brand new.



2. The book was in mint condition, and shipping was extremely fast, the problem I had was it came with a media pak, I paid alot for this not realizing that there were different media paks, my daughter spent a week trying to get into her college class with this, numerous e-mails waiting 24 hrs for an answer, numerous phone calls, only to find out it was wrong and we had to pay another $50.00 on line to get the right codes to get into the class. It should be listed somewhere what the different classes are we could have bought a used book & the code on line and saved alot of money.



3. My AP chemistry class used this book as well as my college General Chemistry class. Ive compared it with other popular chemistry books and none of them explain as thoroughly and cover as wide a breadth of topics as this book does. If your having problems with your current General Chemistry textbook you should definitely buy this one as an adjunct to it.



4. This was an outstanding product, came bundled and I got more than I expected in terms of quality and quantity! One of the best purchases I've ever had online. Thank you!



5. I bought this book on March 22, 2008 and received it April 12, 08. This is unexpected. I bought another book at the same day and got it within 4 days.

5 comments about Chemistry for Dummies.

1. It was a bit too detailed for my liking. I felt it could have been broken down into more laymans terms with more examples. I found it difficult to stay interested. it was more for a person going to be a chemist rather than a person trying to get a step ahead for a college chemistry course



2. An excellent introduction/refresher book. The only issue I had was the habitual America-centric writing I have to endure with most U.S books. When talking about pollution for example we only got figures for the United States as if no where else is relevant. These books are sold and read outside of the U.S.



3. As a High Schooler who is taking Honors Chemistry, I bought this book in case I needed help understanding its abstract ideas. And boy am I glad I did! I don't know how many times I have referred to this book when struggling with the material covered in class. With its simple English for "Dummies", this book is very well written and really helps me grasp the concepts of Chemistry. If you are taking this class in the future and a little apprehensive about how well you will do in the world of atoms, isotopes, the periodic table, and more, then do yourself a favor a BUY this book, you won't be sorry!



4. Sorry, but I couldn't get pass the cover of this supposedly helpful book. Unlike the "Physics for Dummies" or the "Biology for Dummies" books, J Wiley chose to use the picture of a Black kid to illustrate their chemistry text. There is an obvious biased message in that choice. I suggest you try another publisher if you need help in your chemistry class.



5. I needed this book for my nursing entrance exam, it was for sure worth every penny!

5 comments about Examkrackers 1001 Questions in MCAT Chemistry (Examkrackers).

1. This book really focuses on the topics that are tested on the MCAT. I'm pretty good in chemistry but this book made me extremely comfortable with all the topics. It's an excellent complement to any review book and I highly recommend it.



2. First of all, if you consider yourself a 'pre-med' and serious about the MCAT, then as such you probably would've done some research about your products you are using... judging from the other reviews, they have not.
   
   These texts are for reviewing the SUBJECTS specifically... NOT for the MCAT!!! There designed to fill in the gaps you may have missed that some teachers 'leave out' during your education.
   
   If you want reviews specifically for the MCAT, and you are already a master of all the subjects covered, then get the Examkrackers Complete Study Package here on Amazon.
   
   The 1001 and 101 question series by Examkrackers is a great SUBJECT review for any student, premed or not. They explain difficult concepts in simple terms. Thanks EK!



3. To get into Med school after 15yrs in business I took my Organic Chem series over again, studied Exam Kracker's 101 series until I knew the books cold, listened to EK's Audio Osmosis about 10 times while communiting then took several full length practice tests.
   
   Going in I thought I'd be taking it a 2nd time so I wasn't too stressed. Afterwards, I was even more sure I would be re-taking it. However, I managed a 30 (straight 10's) so I know anyone can.
   
   Bottom line, MCAT is not about knowing a ton of details (unlike Step 1). Know the basics like EK teaches so you can apply the concepts anyway they ask the question. Then practice, practice and pracitce some more (yes, especially the essays). It will help cement the concepts in, but more importantly give you confidence.
   
   My personal belief is reduced stress and being on top of your game test day are more important than which study aid you use. That said, EK's focused and yet whimsical style was perfect for me to go through it over and over until I knew it cold.



4. This is a very good book. Amazon shipped it right away, in excellent condition. This book will help you get ready for the MCATs by acting as your very own tutor. I recommend getting all of the Examkracker series.



5. This book is decent. Some good questions, but many a bit too trivial for MCAT. If you're pressed for time, this book may not benefit you too much.