Nuclear and Radiochemistry, 3rd Edition by G. Friedlander, J.W. Kennedy, E.S. Macias, J.M. Miller (Paperback, 359 pp - July 27, 1981) Review by: Larry Burchfield, PhD, Radiochemistry Society Faculty

The second edition of this text is one that has been utilized in many graduate programs. In fact, the author of this review has utilized it not only as a student but as a teaching text in several courses he taught. No single text contains all that is needed for an immense field of study such as radiochemistry. However, it should also be pointed out that the weakness in this text is that although it does a thorough job of covering "nuclear basics" it is very short on the "radiochemistry" side of the field. Having said this, it is a must have text for any serious student in the field. The third edition also includes an account of discovery of the elements beyond uranium. This section is a first hand account by Glenn T. Seaborg and Walter D. Loveland the team of Nobel Laureates that lead to their discovery. Both Glenn Seaborg - an active participant in the discovery of transuranium elements - and leading chemist, and Walter Loveland, provide a unique inside account of the discovery of these elements as well as the first definitive look at their chemical, physical, and nuclear properties. The book contains detailed discussions of nuclear synthesis reactions, experimental techniques, natural occurrence, super-heavy elements, practical applications, and predictions for the future, as well as such special features as excerpts from original notebooks, pictures of element discovery teams, and up-to-date tables of nuclear properties.