The Joy of Chemistry: The Amazing Science of Familiar Things Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been teaching hearing students at a local community college chemistry for the last two years, and enjoying it immensely. What I have not enjoyed was trying to find a decent textbook to use. The one we are currently using by Karen Timberlake is pretty good, especially given the horrendous book I started out with. However, I've been looking for some more chem books that can bring chemistry not down to the level of the students, but rather illustrate how chemistry is involved in our daily world.
The first book I got was a great book on the individual elements. that still wasn't what I was looking for. This book by Cobb and Fetterolf was exactly what I was looking for. Not only did it have experiments that I can use as demonstrations prior to my student's own labs, but it also provides significant background and understanding into all the important chemistry concepts. Loads of black and white illustrations, and just a good book overall. I noticed the first review on the back of the book was by the author of our current chemistry textbook, Timberlake...thought that was funny though not necessarily a selling point originally for me.
I didn't get the title "The Joy of Chemistry" until they mentioned the other two famous books with titles beginning with "The Joy of ...." Cute trick. Won't be selling this book off any time in the near future, as I am just now finishing reading it the first time and now I am going back with a 'fine-tooth' comb over the entire book and take out what I can use for different chemistry labs and classrooms.
Karen sAdler
Science Education

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This book challenges the perception of chemistry as too difficult to bother with and too clinical to be any fun. Cathy Cobb and Monty L. Fetterolf, both professional chemists and experienced educators, introduce readers to the magic, elegance, and, yes, joy of chemistry. From the fascination of fall foliage and fireworks, to the functioning of smoke detectors and computers, to the fundamentals of digestion (as when good pizza goes bad!), the authors illustrate the concepts of chemistry in terms of everyday experience, using familiar materials.

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Household Cleaning: Self-Sufficiency (The Self-Sufficiency Series) Review

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(More customer reviews)While I would normally completely ignore books on things that I already know how to do, this book intrigued me so I flipped through it. After that initial preview, I couldn't put it down. There are so many things in this book that I wish I had known when my husband and I were first married or when our children were younger. It's never too late to put good ideas into practice, though, so I plan to start using implementing the ideas immediately.
Do you know how you can use baking soda, vinegar, club soda, salt, borax and other natural cleaning products? I didn't - until I read this book!
Rachelle Strauss discusses the difference between the common toxic household cleaners most people use today and readily available more eco-friendly cleaners that were available to our grandparents and that we still have access to today. She tells how you can use these cleaners, when and where it is appropriate to use them, and she actually explains why many conventional cleaning products are not a good option rather than just saying to "go green." Best of all, her options do not cost a fortune. We've switched to some of her methods already and they actually SAVE you money!
I would highly recommend this book to any family. It would be an especially wonderful gift for any newly married couple or someone who is moving out on their own for the first time!!
Sonya Haskins, author of Homeschooling for the Rest of Us: How Your One-of-a-Kind Family Can Make Homeschooling and Real Life Work

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A handsome, practical green cleaning handbook for every eco-savvy consumer.
Most conventional store-bought cleaning products are packed full of chemicals, many of which are harmful to the environment and your health, let alone your wallet. You'll be pleasantly surprised to discover that your kitchen cupboard already stocks the alternative supplies you'll need to transform your home into a clean, safe, and fresh-smelling haven! Lemons, salt, vinegar, baking soda, and club soda are just some of the natural ingredients used to clean the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, floors, and everything in between. Turn a chore into a pleasure and discover a whole new way to clean!About the Self-Sufficiency Series: More and more Americans are becoming concerned about living a healthier land more environmentally-friendly lifestyle. Whether it's moving to the country and starting over on a whim or just making city-living a little simpler and easier, the 'Green" movement is changing the way we live our day-to-day lives. Skyhorse's new Self-Sufficiency handbooks are meant to help-offering advice on what to do, how to do it better, and how to save money as well. This is a beautifully-illustrated series made even more beautiful because its goal is to help everyone live in a more earth-friendly fashion. 100 color illustrations

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