Elements of X-Ray Diffraction (3rd Edition)

Rating:
Summary: A BOOK ON X-RAY DIFFRACTION FROM AN OPERATIONAL STANDPOINT
Review: Cullity's book is, I believe, one of the most interesting books I've ever come across. Let me explain why...if you know diffraction at the level of the Ewald sphere, reciprocal lattice, point and space groups at least, you would realize that Dr. Cullity has very effectively accomplished the task of introducing the reader to almost all applied aspects of x-ray diffraction without ever mentioned the landmarks of the subject! In this book, you would barely find any word on real space vs. reciprocal space, their relationship by the Fourier Transform etc.; the necessary fundamentals are given at such an elementary level, that it requires barely any background beyond Phys 101. In all fairness, to reduce a very complex phenomenon to an easily understandible level certainly requires a lot of creativity as well as competence. The book's first two chapters efficiently summarize what a person needs to know as a bare minimum to later learn the specific techniques to analyze materials by x-ray diffraction. The remainder of the book is devoted to experimental methods which are very effectively presented and thoroughly discussed. To make the long story short, this book is for the handyman not for the scientist whose special interest might be in x-ray crystallography or x-ray diffraction. If you want to have an idea as to what kind of information can be obtained (ranging from lattice parameter determination to quantitative phase analysis) using x-ray diffraction to study of solids, then this book is for you...

Rating:
Summary: Poorly Edited Edition
Review: Cullity's expostion of x-ray diffraction is excellent, but the third edition, as noted by other reviewers, is missing all chapter specific references. If you're interested in this title, try to find a copy of the second edition.

Rating:
Summary: very sucking book
Review: first, this book is not include chapter reference ,it is very terrable thing. second, This book is so many include chapter better 2nd edition. but, it is confuse the order

third, How do thing!!! This book is $105.00. very expensive but it is substitute Editing for this book.

Rating:
Summary: This book is very terrible...
Review: Of course, This title is very great book for second edition. but third edition is very terrible book.

Stuart Stock is made gabaging about third edition.

because, so many misstake editing and Things have become topsy-turvy.

and so lost chapter reference.

and second edition is composed 3 parts

but third edition is not yet.

Why do you editing this?

I'm not understanding it...

Rating:
Summary: disappointing
Review: The 2nd Edition of "Elements of X-ray Diffraction" by B.D. Cullity ranks among the best introductory books ever written on the subject. When I bought this 3rd edition I hoped to obtain a book of similar standards. However, exchanging chapter titles (to less meaningful descriptors) and a mere renumbering of chapters and appendices (leaving nearly the complete body of the 2nd edition unchanged) was far from my expectations. I have sincere doubts, if the few brief sections added in this 3rd edition provide much useful information for a newcomer. Somehow, I feel they destroy the integrity of an old well-written text. Above all the publisher obviously did a poor job: The pages with "Chapter references" were completely lost somehow (they amounted to 9 pages in the 2nd edition) and are dearly missed whenever a reader wants to dwell a little bit deeper into the subject and use the citations provided in the text. If you want to go for a good introductory text on X-ray diffraction then choose the 2nd edition. Although based on knowledge of the sixties, and thus slightly old-fashioned, it still makes the point in a consistent and scholarly way. Let's hope the 2nd edition will be available for some time.

Rating:
Summary: disappointing
Review: The 2nd Edition of "Elements of X-ray Diffraction" by B.D. Cullity ranks among the best introductory books ever written on the subject. When I bought this 3rd edition I hoped to obtain a book of similar standards. However, exchanging chapter titles (to less meaningful descriptors) and a mere renumbering of chapters and appendices (leaving nearly the complete body of the 2nd edition unchanged) was far from my expectations. I have sincere doubts, if the few brief sections added in this 3rd edition provide much useful information for a newcomer. Somehow, I feel they destroy the integrity of an old well-written text. Above all the publisher obviously did a poor job: The pages with "Chapter references" were completely lost somehow (they amounted to 9 pages in the 2nd edition) and are dearly missed whenever a reader wants to dwell a little bit deeper into the subject and use the citations provided in the text. If you want to go for a good introductory text on X-ray diffraction then choose the 2nd edition. Although based on knowledge of the sixties, and thus slightly old-fashioned, it still makes the point in a consistent and scholarly way. Let's hope the 2nd edition will be available for some time.

Rating:
Summary: A "Classic" of Materials Science.
Review: This is an all encompassing book for materials scientist in the field of materials characterization by x-ray diffraction methods. The basic concepts are well explained, as in Cullity's other book on magnetic materials. These texts remain the standards despite their age, because of their completeness and clear explanations with pictures. Provided time and effort on reading them, one can become a firm expert in their respective fields. It is more complete than Hammond's introductory book, and better than other newer, more technical books that may omit the basic science and jump right into the new devices not available at the time of the reviewed book's printing.