Principles of Chemistry

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Summary: principles of chem.
Review: Great book. Lots of info. Fairly easy college level reading.

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Summary: Conceptually wonderful, but a nightmare applicably
Review: I am a student of a reviewer above, and although he may find the text to be conceptually enlightening, for a student of first year chemistry applying it is a joke! Munowitz sets up his chapters unconventionally -- he explains concepts and 'derives' equations in the first part of the chapter, and then has a 'gray section' at the back of the chapter which contains problems and examples. Often the gray sections seem alien to the chapter before it: finding out how a redox reaction runs is much more concrete than describing what a Lewis base is. In order for Munowitz to be more effective, he must include his example in the body of the chapter itself, and marry concepts with applications. It is notable to include that the average grade on exams for students who take this class using the Munowitz book is about 50%, and most are very hardworking!

Rating:
Summary: Conceptually wonderful, but a nightmare applicably
Review: I am a student of a reviewer above, and although he may find the text to be conceptually enlightening, for a student of first year chemistry applying it is a joke! Munowitz sets up his chapters unconventionally -- he explains concepts and 'derives' equations in the first part of the chapter, and then has a 'gray section' at the back of the chapter which contains problems and examples. Often the gray sections seem alien to the chapter before it: finding out how a redox reaction runs is much more concrete than describing what a Lewis base is. In order for Munowitz to be more effective, he must include his example in the body of the chapter itself, and marry concepts with applications. It is notable to include that the average grade on exams for students who take this class using the Munowitz book is about 50%, and most are very hardworking!

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Summary: Good for concepts, but filled with "hot air"
Review: It's an okay chem textbook. VERY longwinded, but when it finally gets to the point (5 pages from where you started) the concepts are fairly clear -- that is, if you didn't get lost while reading it. Seriously. Some, if not at least half the time I forget that I'm reading chemistry and not a good novel. The pictures and diagrams are godawful compared with other chemistry books. Yes, yes, I know it's supposed to be more like a "professional" book, but can't they use more colors than black, gray, and red? The problems are also rather easy and don't help out too much for those professors who love "interesting" problems. Bottom line: get it for the concepts or for a good read.

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Summary: great for mature learners
Review: This book beautifully expalins the basic principles of chemistry. It is meant to be used by mature learners who understand what learning a subject is really about. Unfortuntely, most college students nowadays think learning is spitting out what they just swallowed without going through their mind. Our secondary education just does not prepare them well enough to use texts like this. They should start with a more traditional textbook and later on use this book to enhance their conceptual understaning of chemical principles.

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Summary: Excellent book!
Review: This book is very well written. There are only a handful of science books which match the clarity and engaging writing style of Munowitz (Introduction to Electrodynamics by Griffiths, comes to mind). Every Science student should read this wonderful Chemistry text.

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Summary: An amazing, extraordinary text
Review: This is the most extraordinary general chemistry text I have ever encountered in 25 years of teaching. It is completely unlike all other texts that I know of. It is clear from the first page of the preface and reinforced on page after page thereafter that the author has a deep understanding of the way the physical world works *and* an exceptional gift for communicating that understadning in an engaging, precise way. The book is a joy to read. We owe the author an enormous debt for such a grand gift to science exposition.

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Summary: making Chem 1A harder than it should be.
Review: This is the sort of book that chemistry professors get very excited about but which leaves many of their students feeling lost. One fellow UCB chem student I know bought her old textbook from high school she was so confused by Munowitz. If you are already interested (and already have a decent backround) in chemistry, then I can see how this book may be of some value, but I do not beleive it is appropriate for beginner-level chemistry students.