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Organic Chemistry, Fourth Edition
Paula Yurkanis Bruice
Edition: 4
Retail Price (not our price): $168.00
ISBN: 0131407481
ISBN-13: 9780131407480
Publication Date: 2003-05-01
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 1344


Editorial Reviews (supplied by Amazon.com):

1) Product Description
This innovative book from acclaimed educator Paula Bruice is organized in a way that discourages rote memorization. The author's writing has been praised for anticipating readers' questions, and appeals to their need to learn visually and by solving problems. Emphasizing that learners should reason their way to solutions rather than memorize facts, Bruice encourages them to think about what they have learned previously and apply that knowledge in a new setting. KEY TOPICS The book balances coverage of traditional topics with bioorganic chemistry, highlights mechanistic similarities, and ties synthesis and reactivity together—teaching the reactivity of a functional group and the synthesis of compounds obtained as a result of that reactivity. For the study of organic chemistry.

Customer Reviews (supplied by Amazon.com):
Average Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5

1) The Best Textbook I Have Ever Owned   [Rating: 5 out of 5]
This is by far the best textbook that I have ever owned. I did not go to class, but I was able to do well just by reading the book and doing the problems along the way. Organic is hard if you try to memorize. This text teaches fundamental principles well, which minimizes the strain when more complex problems arise. There are some problems with the solutions manual/study guide. There are many errors in the solutions, and I wish that the author would elaborate on many of the explanations.

2) A fine book for learning organic chemistry.   [Rating: 4 out of 5]
I use this book in a college level organic chemistry lecture. I feel that the book is clear and also offers some colorful illustrations to convey the concepts. The figures and pictures throughout the book provide a nice "break" from the arguably heavy reading material. That is, I feel that I can better retain the information in this context opposed to strictly text. The only slight nuisance is perhaps the order of the book. My professor covers the book in a slightly different order than it is written, often skipping from chapter to chapter. However, I don't know if this is a fault of the book.

3) A Good Introductory Text for the Beginner   [Rating: 4 out of 5]
With colorful illustrations and a supplemental website for extra practice and concept connection, this text is one of the better texts for introducing organic chemistry. As well, there is a teachers' resource from the publisher which allows easy creation of multimedia presentations for the classroom or preparing online notes for the students. It's organized well in the beginning, although some of the topics at the end get a bit redundant. The redundancy has its purpose, though, as it helps to demonstrate the parallels of laboratory chemistry and the in vivo biochemistry.The astute instructor will be able to guide the beginner in the typographical errors in the text, which are all proposed to have been fixed in the newest edition (though I have not verified it personally). When the market value drops substantially, I recommend this edition. However, if you want a more intensive study of organic chemistry, I recommend the Advanced Organic Chemistry series by Caery and Sundberg. Though not as colorful nor student-friendly, those texts are byfar the most intensive study of organic chemistry I have personally come across.

4) It's ok   [Rating: 3 out of 5]
It's ok I guess but I have no other book for reference because this is my first time taking the course.

5) Yes, but with restrictions   [Rating: 3 out of 5]
This is an excellent book that uses illuminating diagrams and examples to explain fundamental concepts. It is by no means, however, an easy reader. To understand the concepts you must read the chapters and do the problems at least 3 to 4 times. (if not more). I worked very hard in orgo, which is one of the reasons why I did well in it. The only reason that kept this rating from being higher, was the solutions manual and the chapter on stereochemistry. The solutions manual is very selective in it's explanations. The solutions to the problems are not explained in a way that everyone can understand it. A solutions manual should always include detailed explanations of every problem, and this solutions manual certainly doesn't do that. Then, on the flip side, if you thorougly understand the chapter before attempting the problems at the end of each chapter, then the solutions manual is an excellent guide. Chapter 5, the stereochemistry chapter, at least all of it, except section 5.19, is extremely poorly written. Stereochemistry is a very tough and important subject, and although the chapter was 50 pages long, it was written very inadequately with examples that don't exemplify simple concepts. Get a model set to learn stereochem, I finally learned at the end of Ochem 2, but that was because I finally understood the basics, and understood that it was extremely easy. Overall, this book is not for someone that doesn't have an interest in ochem, but for someone that takes passion with the subject. I never went to class, but i loved the subject, so the book, for me was excellent. If you love chemistry-BUY THIS BOOK.