<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: Great Text
Review: "...I write to explain chemistry to students the way I wish it had been explained to me years ago."
McMurry has that line in the introduction to the text, and when I read that in the 3rd edition some years ago, it was one of the things that kept me from tucking tail and changing my major.
He remains true to those words. This text is clear and unambiguous in its presentation. Rather than inundating the reader with details and overly rigorous academic explanations, as some texts do, McMurry presents organic chemistry in a straightforward, streamlined manner. The text progresses from basic physical organic chemistry and molecular orbital theory through functional groups and their reactivity, finally culminating in appropriate, but not exhaustive, chapters on biomolecules.
After having learned organic chemistry from McMurry, I personally found tackling more advanced graduate texts (e.g. Carey and Sundberg) a more tractable endeavor.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Organic Text
Review: I used this text for 2 semesters of Organic Chemistry. I thought it was fantastic, with very colorful, helpful electrostatic potential maps. It showed clear reaction mechanisms and gave a summary of all learned reactions at the end of the chapter.If you need to learn Organic chem, McMurry is the way to go.
Rating:
Summary: Clear, thorough text
Review: McMurry's Organic Chemistry is a great textbook. The text is clear and uncluttered, especially compared to others. The graphics organize the information well. Also, the back of the solutions manual has an organized summary of the reactions. If you are using it as a supplement to your assigned book, I find that the previous (5th?) is just fine, and is probably much cheaper than the new edition.
Rating: 
Summary: why the new edition???
Review: McMurry's text is a very friendly, gentle intro to organic. It's a thoroughly enjoyable read, but it doesn't teach you what you need to know. Explanations for important mechanisms are usually very brief, and the problems included are usually very basic and general (the spectroscopy and synthesis problems, in particular). If you're looking to become a chemist, this is not the book to learn from. I'd recommend Vollhardt and Schore's textbook, or any number of sophomore-level texts that will give you the skills you need to approach complicated problems more successfully (i.e., on exams or out in the industry).
Rating:
Summary: why the new edition???
Review: This is an excellent text! I have one criticism though. Why must a new edition come out every year/every other year? Its rediculous! The books are practically the same but the bookstore will never buy the old version back. The 5th edition cost me 120$. Thats pretty darn expensive!!
<< 1 >>
| 
