A. Ken and T. Young, Photochemistry, translated from the German by S. G. Gurevich, edited by K. S. Lyallikov, Moscow–Leningrad, Gizlegprom, 1933, price 4 rubles 50 kopecks, 3175 copies.*

The book by Ken and Young is a translation of the III volume of the Handbuch der Wissenschaftlichen und Angewandten Photographie, edited by A. Hay. This origin gives the book a quite definite stamp. In a handbook of scientific and applied photography, a chapter devoted to general photochemistry plays a subsidiary, so to speak “general-educational,” role and, in addition, must of course provide the maximum amount of reference information. Accordingly, in Ken and Young we get a rather cursory general outline of the present state of photochemistry and, besides this, an extensive survey of the most important photochemical reactions, accompanied by a carefully compiled index to the original literature (802 titles). The authors’ basic orientation is purely experimental. Chapter II of the book, devoted to the methodology of the photochemical experiment, has been compiled conscientiously. The reader will find here quite a large amount of very important information on light sources, light filters, methods for measuring radiant energy, etc. In all cases the necessary formulas, tables, and recipes are given. In the next chapter, interesting—though also theoretically rather obscure—results of Weigert’s work on photodichroism are set out in detail. Chapters IV and V are devoted to photochemistry proper. Here the photochemical equivalence law is discussed in sufficient detail, and the exposition is not limited to an analysis of final results but—in keeping with the general character of the book—is enlivened by presentation of the experimental methodology of the most important works. Unfortunately, Franck’s ideas, which made it possible to establish the nature of the primary photochemical process, are presented very briefly; the phenomenon of predissociation, which plays an exceptionally important role in elementary photochemical processes, is not mentioned at all. A reader wishing to obtain from a monograph on photochemistry preparation for reading the current scientific literature will regretfully read the phrase: “This is not the place to expound the theory of molecular spectra, on which Franck’s considerations are based” (p. 87). Yet this theory is more than necessary for the reader—and especially for the chemist—in order to learn to understand the complex argumentation of contemporary photochemical works. In this respect Ken and Young’s book is considerably inferior to the recently published German-language book by Bonhoeffer and Harteck. The extensive chapter VI is occupied with a rather “raw-material” summary of photochemistry. Finally, the last, VII chapter is devoted to chemiluminescence phenomena. The exposition is lively and clear throughout. Valuable additions have been made in various places in the book by the editor, K. S. Lyallikov.

* Based on materials of the Critical-Bibliographical Institute of OGIZ.

Conclusion: if it were not for the annoying weakness in the exposition of theoretical (physical) photochemistry, the book would have to be considered exemplary. In judging it, however, one must not lose sight of the fact that the authors had the special aim of writing a chapter for the photographer’s Handbuch, and not a monograph on general photochemistry. From the point of view of the reader’s interests, the editor probably would have acted correctly had he shortened or entirely omitted the raw material (while preserving the valuable bibliography) and replaced it precisely with what the authors considered inappropriate to set forth, i.e., molecular spectra, analysis of the primary process, second-order impacts, etc. It would also have been possible to add an account of the work of the school of Polak on photochemistry in the solid phase—work that has led to an interpretation of the nature of the latent photographic image.

Nevertheless, despite the shortcomings mentioned, for our Soviet scientific literature, with its complete absence of books on photochemistry, the publication of Keva and Jung’s book is a very positive event. The outward appearance of the edition is very mediocre; the absurd construction and complete lack of artistry of the cover are also surprising.

E. Shpolskii