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Rating: 
Summary: Confusion
Review: Book layout is overly confusing. Text is sometimes not as clear as can be and needs more practice examples (most apparent in sections like isomers and titrations). Yes like one person said before, UCLA does use this text to teach Life science majors, but there are better choices. There are numerous mistakes in the solution guides still, and Zumdahl's "Chemical Principles" is a much better read in my opinion. I actually used it to clear up points this text was muddy on. Your mileage may vary.
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Summary: It made me feel stupid
Review: How many chemistry textbooks begin with the beginning "You need insight to think like a chemist."? What is the definition of "insight?" So if I don't have their kind of "insight", I can't do chemistry? This book is slightly useful for teaching reactions, but does not particularly go out of the way to explain the fundamentals (quantum mechanics) required to understand these concepts. If you're looking for a general chem textbook, there are much much better choices than this waste of paper.
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Summary: THE COLLOGE 1ST SEMESTER HONORS CHEM BOOK
Review: 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).
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Summary: I haven't used it yet, but it was expensive.
Review: I'll write a follow up review after I use <i>Chemical Principles--The Quest</i> for Insight for the school year. I attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and I plan to major in chemical engineering.
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Summary: Who wrote this book?
Review: This is an overly complicated book appropriate for honors chemistry majors. Compared to other books in this category, it is not as easy to work with.The biggest question has to be why Peter Atkins is even writing books in this category. He is a British physical chemist and everyone knows that British universities do not teach general chemistry. So, is this really a Loretta Jones book with Atkins name, because he is famous, or is Atkins crossing over?
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Summary: Generally good
Review: 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.
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Summary: Who wrote this book?
Review: 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.
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