The Cassell Dictionary of Science

This is one of those volumes about which it is very difficult to enthuse; having stated this, it is nevertheless difficult to substantiate my lack of enthusiasm. The authors have excellent credentials (much better than many other dictionary compilers that I have seen recently), the volume is near faultless factually and there are some nice line drawlngs to illuminate many of the concepts discussed. The cover is cheery enough, though what is interesting about nitrous acid to the designer (“HNO₂”) rather baffles me. Perhaps I was reading it from the wrong angle; even rose‐tinted sun spectacles failed to...