Chemical Principles: The Quest for Insight

I was so happy with this purchase...I saved over $70 because I didnt buy it from the campus book store...I did spend to get the faster shipping and it was worth it...it came really fast and I had it in time for my class....

Admittedly an intro book, but it still does a nearly consistent job of proving the things it says. That said, if you just want to say get a 5 on AP Chem, this book will be frustratingly thorough and in depth. I loved it. Clear and detailed, highly recommend.

This is one of the more advanced general chem textbooks available. It has a review section at the beginning of the book for those who are not quite ready for college level chemistry. Unlike its two main competitors(Principles of Modern Chemistry by Oxtoby and Chemical Principles by Zumdahl), it introduces quantum chemistry (at very basic level) first. If you have hard time with this book, you might have to go down a level and find a text for regular science major general chemistry, for example, Brown/LeMay/Bursten or Moore/Stanitski/Jurs.

I used this book for my 1st semester Honors Chemistry class at Cornell University (CHEM 215). Even though Chem is not my favorite science subject (I'm an electrical engineer, so I prefer physics instead) I have to say the combination of book and professor (Benjamin Widom), makes me remember that class as my favorite one during my first semester at Cornell. I wouldn't listen too much to the negative reviewer (Who wrote this book?). The book is not bad at all; it is just focused towards students who are going to be majoring on Chemistry (Pre-Meds). But that doesn't make it "bad". I do recognize that there are some typos in this edition that our professor easily corrected (that's why I gave it a 4 and not a 5).

This is the primary chemistry textbook for over 800+ students in UCLA with four different chemistry professors. Book is clear, concise, and very understandable. The fact that UCLA, with a pretty well known engineering school, would choose this text for their primary teachings proves that this book is great.