Mass Spectrometry Desk Reference
O. David Sparkman
Global View Publishing, Pittsburgh, ISBN: 0-9660813-2-3, $29.95, pp 110 (2000)
Reviewed by John R. Chapman, Manchester, UK
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Mass Spectrometry Desk ReferenceO. David Sparkman Global View Publishing, Pittsburgh, ISBN: 0-9660813-2-3, $29.95, pp 110 (2000) Reviewed by John R. Chapman, Manchester, UK |
The major content of this book takes the form of a dictionary of mass spectrometry terms with suitably extended descriptions for each entry. These descriptions are clear and the book is well indexed and up-to-date. The effect of this simple and generally well-executed idea is marred by the relentless labelling of most entries as "correct" (usage) or "incorrect" (usage). Why not just highlight those entries to which the author takes exception?
The remainder of the book, apart from a few useful data tables, deals with the bibliography of mass spectrometry. This section is less successful. In particular, although the author does indicate some preferences, the reader is left to trawl through a very large number of book titles, some of considerable antiquity. The dictionary is a model of clarity and purpose; the same cannot be said of the bibliography section.
The dictionary presents much useful and enjoyable reading-even when disagreeing with some of the author's ideas of incorrect usage. I look forward to a subsequent edition that deals with the bibliography in a more successful manner.