This book is one of the best introduction in crystal structure analysis that I have ever seen! Due to it's limited size (and price !!) it covers the most important topics of x-ray structure analysis in an easy understandable language without boring the reader with mathematical details. You really get a good impression about what the basic principles and problems of x-crystallography are, and how the can be solved. Everybody wanting to start with x-ray structure analysis should read this book at the very beginning.

The book covers diverse areas about clay minerals and describe very clrarly how to identify their structure using X-ray diffraction. The book is written in an ordered way, very easy to understand, allowing quick use. This subject is very interesting, because new worldwide researched technologies, nano-technologies, are dealing with clay minerals. although the book was written at 1980, I greatly recommand it. New books about this subject are not available, and other books are much less detailed and friendly to the reader.

this is a unique and wonderful work, studded with all sorts of meaningful connections to the ancient knowlege. completely unpredicatble, i dont know why this work has been apparently forgotten. sequled by the crystal sword, and then the rainbow sword. i have not found any of the others past that. YET.

a friend of mine had this book. that is why i knew i wanted it. it is a great book. it talks about crystal energies,meaning,scrying. it also touches on your aura and your chakras.lots and lots of pictures

I found this book to be more than a guide to crystal gazing. It was a warning for those who do not take things of a spiritual nature seriously. And a guide and tease in that it made you want to go deeper into your own spiritualness, but explained that you would have to search farther as well as develop or evolve into a higher place to receive the answers. This will be required text for my children.

Yet another complete and comprehensive guide to crystal healing. With detailed descriptions and nice, full-color pictures this excellent resource makes a wonderful addition to any metaphysical collection.

This book was a wonderful read and extreamly easy to follow . I will refer to it often as a reference for my healing and helping others in their spiritual paths . Crystal Wisdom has a bit of everything you might like to know.

It's hard to stand by and watch some one you love who go through so much and still find courage within yourself. I found the book to sadden me and inspire me at the same time. It proves that when you have faith all things are truly possible.

The book "Crystallography in Modern Chemistry - Resource Book of Crystal Structures" by Thomas W.C. Mak and Gong-Du Zhou (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1992, ISBN 0-471-54702-6) is always on my bookshelf - and I constantly refer to it.

Why? The answer is simple: It is the best resource book about chemical structures I know. I use it constantly to compare the molecular structures I obtain with the ab-initio calculations I do with Gaussian 98W with the structures discussed in the book.

The authors have collected crystal and molecular structures to illustrate chemical concepts for their introductory and advanced lectures at several universities over a period of 25 years. And what a magnificent collection of structures they have managed to collect, reproduce, discuss and place in perspective!

This collection covering 1323 pages ranges from the "run-of-the-mill" structures for freshman chemistry courses (Chapter 2; 27 structures; about 160 pages of structures, data and illustrations), main group inorganic compounds (Chapter 3; 43 structures; about 280 pages), inorganic compounds of the transition elements (Chapter 4; 23 structures; about 260 pages), organic compounds (Chapter 5; 23 structures; about 110 pages), organometallic compounds (Chapter 6; 16 compounds; about 160 pages) ans inclusion compounds (Chapter 7; 9 compounds; about 130 pages).

I must emphasize that the term "compound" in my list in the previous paragraph is far wider than just a single compound, for instance, the discussion of the compound "Zinc Blende, ZnS" compares it with many of the other compounds having the ideal zinc blende structure; a useful set of references for further reading is also provided for each compound type.

The authors did not include structures haphazardly, but put a lot of thought into the selection of structures which are useful for illustrating chemical concepts, for instance, including hexamethyl benzene and its structural problems. The crystal and molecular structure of benzene, the symmetry of the benzene molecule as deduced from vibrational spectra, the actual equilibrium geometry of the benzene molecule, the structures of the hexa-substituted benzenes (hexachloro-, hexanitro-, hexaamino-, etc.), as well as borazine and its P- and Al-analogues, etc are also discussed. The discussion emphasizes the similariity, as well as the differences between these intriguing compounds, and the list of about 30 references to the original and extended literature invites the reader to delve deeper.

A book which compliments the book by Mak and Zhou is the very valuable book written by Kozo Kuchitsu (Editor), "Structures of Free Polyatomic Molecules - Basic Data", Springer Verlag, Berlin, 1998, ISBN 3-540-60766-8), which collects the structural data of some free polyatomic molecules. However, since it's purpose is to provide a collection of critically evaluated structural data and references, it does not provide a discussion of the individual structures.

In conclusion, I can say that I recommend that all teachers of chemistry should use the book by Mak and Zhou, and that all libraries should own copies of it for the use of their students. The only reason why I use the library copy is the cost of the book - namely, US$240.

And I wish that the book were available in electronic format on a CD-ROM - it would make it a far more useful teaching tool, since its structures and tables could then be electronically projected from a laptop in a well-equipped classroom and discussed without the need of Xeroxes and copyright problems! In addition, a CD-ROM ought to be cheaper than the printed version and students could buy it. Strange, in this age of the information highway, that this has not been done. I would strongly recommend it!

This delightful book, in the best tradition of science for the educated layman and humanities for the scientist, brings the world of crystals alive. It resonates! The author's amiable style and broad knowledge as a protein crystallographer and lover of culture combine to give great pleasure to the reader. Present at the creation (he was part of the Purdue team that solved one of the first virus crystal structures) Dr. Abad leads us deeper into the magic world of crystals through these intriguing essays which explore crystallography through the music of Segovia, the designs of the Alhambra, the work of M. C. Escher, the development of x-rays, how we "hear" a symphony or experience Chillida's "Combs of the Wind," "The Ring of the Nibelung," Tolkien's Frodo and more.