About the Work
This volume presents a series of book reviews originally published in the scientific periodical Nature on March 2, 1922. The material consists of three distinct excerpts from that issue, each containing multiple unsigned or initialled reviews of recently published works spanning a remarkable range of subjects. The reviews cover children’s folk-tale collections, technical handbooks on confectionery ingredients, monographs on cocoa production, star atlases for amateur astronomers, practical guides for electricians, introductory textbooks on energy and colloid chemistry, treatises on explosives manufacture, works on directive wireless telegraphy, and studies of fuel oils for Diesel engines. The collection thus offers a fascinating cross-section of the scientific and educational publishing landscape of the early 1920s, as seen through the discerning eyes of reviewers writing for one of the most prestigious scientific journals of the era.
The reviews themselves vary considerably in length and depth. Some receive extended critical treatment with detailed assessments of content, structure, and accuracy, while others are dismissed in a few lines or merely given bibliographic notice. What unites them is the consistent standard of evaluation applied by the reviewers, who assess each work on its own terms, considering the intended audience, the author’s success in achieving stated aims, and the accuracy and currency of the information presented. The collection thus serves not merely as a record of what was published in a particular year, but as a window into the values, concerns, and intellectual standards of the scientific community in post-war Britain.
Context
The reviews collected here appeared in the aftermath of the First World War, a period of intense scientific and technological activity. The war had accelerated developments in fields such as wireless telegraphy, explosives manufacture, and industrial chemistry, and the early 1920s saw a flood of publications seeking to consolidate and disseminate this knowledge for both professional and educational purposes. Several of the reviews explicitly reference the war’s impact: the review of Dr. R. C. Farmer’s book on explosives notes that while interest in military applications has waned, the public does not generally appreciate the role of these chemical products in peaceful industries. Similarly, the review of L. H. Walter’s work on directive wireless telegraphy observes that the Bellini and Tosi system lay almost dormant until the war proved its great practical utility.
The educational context is equally significant. Several of the reviewed books were designed for specific pedagogical purposes, whether for continuation schools, secondary school students, or those pursuing organised courses in technical trades. The review of J. Grant’s confectionery handbook explicitly addresses the challenge of teaching elementary science to students with little or no background in the subject, while the review of J. Riley’s The Age of Power notes that the book was designed originally for continuation schools but is equally suitable for middle forms of secondary schools. This attention to educational applications reflects the broader post-war emphasis on technical education and the dissemination of scientific knowledge to wider audiences.
The period was also one of rapid scientific advance. The fourth edition of E. Hatschek’s An Introduction to the Physics and Chemistry of Colloids is noted as having been entirely rewritten and enlarged to embody much recent work, while the twenty-fourth annual issue of The Practical Electrician’s Pocket-book contains new sections on tungar rectifiers, railway signalling, and current limiters. The reviews thus capture a moment when established scientific fields were being transformed by new discoveries and technologies, and when publishers were struggling to keep pace with the rapid accumulation of knowledge.
Structure of the Book
The material is organised into three parts, each corresponding to a separate excerpt from the March 2, 1922 issue of Nature. The first part contains three reviews: R. N. Fleming’s Ancient Tales from Many Lands, J. Grant’s Confectioners’ Raw Materials, and Edith A. Browne’s Cocoa. The second part contains five reviews: Edith A. Browne’s Cocoa (reviewed again, or perhaps a continuation of the first review), A. P. Norton’s A Star Atlas and Telescopic Handbook, H. T. Crewe’s The Practical Electrician’s Pocket-book for 1922, J. Riley’s The Age of Power, and E. Hatschek’s An Introduction to the Physics and Chemistry of Colloids. The third part contains four reviews: Dr. R. C. Farmer’s The Manufacture and Uses of Explosives, L. H. Walter’s Directive Wireless Telegraphy, W. Schenker’s Fuel and Lubricating Oils for Diesel Engines, and J. H. Fabre’s The Wonder Book of Science.
The arrangement appears to follow the order in which the reviews appeared in the original journal issue, rather than any thematic or subject-based organisation. The result is a deliberately miscellaneous collection that mirrors the catholic range of a general scientific periodical. The reviews are presented without editorial commentary or connecting material, allowing each to stand on its own merits as a piece of critical writing.
Inside the Book
The first review in the collection concerns R. N. Fleming’s Ancient Tales from Many Lands: A Collection of Folk Stories. The reviewer notes that Miss Fleming has drawn stories from a wide geographical range, explicitly naming Japan, China, India, North America, Egypt, Mesopotamia, ancient Greece, and the British Isles among her sources. As a mere collection of folk-tales, the book is described as charming in both subject-matter and style. However, the reviewer observes that the author’s aim goes beyond providing pleasant pastime; she intends to present traditional stories, preserving the spirit of the original as nearly as possible, in order to depict the culture and modes of thought of primitive and early historic peoples. The book is designed to be usable and interpretable by teachers of history or social geography, while also being appreciated by children. The reviewer notes that Miss Fleming appends three essays expounding her philosophy of using folk-tales in education and her principles of selection, and concludes that these essays demonstrate the thought, wide reading, and experience invested in the book’s creation.
The second review addresses J. Grant’s Confectioners’ Raw Materials: Their Sources, Modes of Preparation, Chemical Composition, the Chief Impurities and Adulterations, their More Important Uses, and Other Points of Interest. The reviewer acknowledges that the author set himself a difficult task: providing a handbook for students in organised courses on confectionery practice. These students typically have little or no knowledge of elementary science, yet the subject touches many varied scientific fields that are difficult to explain in simple language. The reviewer’s opinion is that Grant has skilfully compressed a mass of information, previously available only in scattered and relatively difficult literature, into a small, readable volume that should assist the target students. The book’s structure includes a useful introduction, followed by chapters on alcoholic beverages used as flavouring agents, carbohydrates, fruits, essential oils, and eggs and egg products, as well as an outline of methods for analysing raw materials. The reviewer lists several imperfections: the botanical sections need revision by a botanist, who would likely suggest alternatives to some illustrations on page 101; the bibliography is criticised for listing consecutively “Bolton and Revis—Fatty Foods” and “Britannica—Encyclopaedia,” which the reviewer says clearly needs drastic revision; and the sub-title could also be improved.
The third review, which appears in both the first and second parts of the collection, concerns Edith A. Browne’s Cocoa, part of the “Peeps at Industries” series. The reviewer expresses pleasure in reading this well-illustrated little book, which is described as a notable addition to a useful series. Miss Browne has first-hand knowledge of the Gold Coast, and she conducts readers on a personally guided tour of the cocoa-growing districts of the Gold Coast Colony and Ashanti, which the reviewer notes now form the premier cocoa-growing region of the world. The information is described as complete, accurate, and well arranged, supplemented with admirable glimpses of West African life. The book achieves balance by including an account of cocoa-growing in other countries, followed by a description of cocoa-product manufacture in two well-known English factories. Miss Browne warns the West African cocoa industry about the potential of South American cocoa-growing countries, which have been deprived of their former pride of place. The reviewer states that the warning is well timed and merited, not solely on the grounds the author mentions. The publication details are given as London: A. and C. Black, Ltd., 1920, price 2s. 6d. net, pp. viii + 88.
The fourth review concerns A. P. Norton’s A Star Atlas and Telescopic Handbook (Epoch 1920) for Students and Amateurs, published by Gall and Inglis, London, 1921, containing 34 pages plus 16 maps at a price of 10s. 6d. net. The reviewer notes that a new edition has been published, with maps clearly printed on a scale of 8° to the inch, including stars down to the sixth magnitude and many fainter objects of interest. The letterpress explains all ordinary astronomical terms and gives information on both the solar and stellar systems, plus hints on telescope use and care. There is a clear lunar map with names of principal formations. The reviewer, signed “A. C. D. C.,” lists several errata: on page 6, along the circles of 6h and 18h R.A., declination and latitude have the same direction; on page 10, the annual proper motion of Groombridge 1830 is 7″, not 17″; the magnitude of Barnard’s star in Ophiuchus is 10, not 13; and on page 11, the object entered in the nova list at date A.D. 389 was certainly a comet and never went near the constellation Aquila. The information is otherwise described as full and accurate with very few exceptions.
The fifth review addresses The Practical Electrician’s Pocket-book for 1922, the twenty-fourth annual issue, edited by H. T. Crewe, published by S. Rentell and Co., Ltd., London, 1922, containing pages lxxxiii + 558 + 54 at a price of 3s. net. The reviewer recommends it to all practically engaged in electricity-using industries. This edition has been revised and contains new sections on tungar rectifiers, railway signalling, and current limiters. The latter are devices that cause the consumer’s lamps to flicker intolerably or become dim if the consumer tries to take more than his permissible current.
The sixth review concerns J. Riley’s The Age of Power: A First Book of Energy, its Sources, Transformations, and Uses, published by Sidgwick and Jackson, Ltd., London, 1921, containing pages viii + 248 at a price of 4s. net. Designed originally for continuation schools, it is equally suitable for middle forms of secondary schools. It contains excellent descriptions of the working of windmills, the steam engine, the internal combustion engine, and hydraulic, steam, and internal combustion turbines. The reviewer states that it cannot fail to interest boys and increase their interest in physical studies. There is enough, but not too much, speculative matter to stimulate the thoughtful reader. The reviewer thoroughly recommends the volume as a useful addition to the ordinary school course.
The seventh review addresses E. Hatschek’s An Introduction to the Physics and Chemistry of Colloids, part of the Text-Books of Chemical Research and Engineering series. This is the fourth edition, entirely rewritten and enlarged, containing pages xiv + 172, published by J. and A. Churchill, London, 1922, at a price of 7s. 6d. net. The reviewer calls it one of the best introductory textbooks on the subject in any language, widely appreciated. The present edition has been rewritten and enlarged, embodying much recent work. It should be in the hands of all chemistry students, though the reviewer regrets that the price is not lower.
The eighth review concerns Dr. R. C. Farmer’s The Manufacture and Uses of Explosives, part of Pitman’s Technical Primer Series, published by Sir I. Pitman and Sons, Ltd., London, 1921, containing xii + 116 pages at a cost of 2 shillings 6 pence net. The reviewer notes that while interest in military applications of explosives has waned in most countries, the public does not generally realize the important role these chemical products play in the arts of peace. The author’s name alone guarantees the accuracy of the information. Dr. Farmer has compressed a surprising amount of up-to-date material into about one hundred small pages. The style is easy, but the treatment is far from being merely a popular account; it is described as a small encyclopaedia, useful for all chemistry students and for those directly involved in explosives manufacture and use. A specific criticism is offered: the very important source of sulphur at Louisiana should have been mentioned on page 37.
The ninth review addresses L. H. Walter’s Directive Wireless Telegraphy: Direction and Position Finding, etc., also in Pitman’s Technical Primer Series, published by Sir I. Pitman and Sons, Ltd., London, 1921, containing xii + 124 pages at a cost of 2 shillings 6 pence net. The reviewer recalls that it has been thirteen years since Bellini and Tosi read their paper on “A Directive System of Wireless Telegraphy” to the Physical Society of London. Although Marconi and Fleming had previously done good work on directive radio-telegraphy, it was this Bellini and Tosi paper that first showed British physicists how directive signalling could be obtained using a fixed aerial and only rotating a small coil of wire. The method lay almost dormant until the war proved its great practical utility. Mr. Walter was one of the pioneers of the Bellini and Tosi system. His volume provides a résumé of most of the useful practical information available. The author has utilized much of the theory recently published by the Bureau of Standards and by the Signal Corps of the United States War Department. The mathematics given is of the most elementary description and will be readily understood by every physicist and engineer. The reviewer commends the book.
The tenth review concerns W. Schenker’s Fuel and Lubricating Oils for Diesel Engines, published by Constable and Co., Ltd., London, 1921, containing xii + 114 pages at a cost of 15 shillings. The reviewer warns that the title conveys a wrong impression, as the contents are mainly of a general character, not specially devoted to Diesel engines. The book has three sections: the first deals with the origin and preparation of various fuel oils, with special reference to varieties usable in Diesel engines; the second treats lubricating oils very briefly; the third describes commercial tests applied to these oils. A criticism is made that the book would have served British consumers better had the author included a fuller account of British testing methods and specification forms, instead of confining himself to Continental practice. Specific omissions or faults are listed: Redwood’s viscometer, the British standard instrument, is dismissed in a dozen lines; Abel’s flash-point apparatus is not mentioned at all; the bomb calorimeter receives only eleven lines; and a purifying apparatus illustrated on page 66 is entirely undescribed in the text. Despite these drawbacks, the book contains much useful practical information. The review is signed with the initials C. R. D.
The eleventh and final review concerns J. H. Fabre’s The Wonder Book of Science, published by Hodder and Stoughton, Ltd., London, no date given, containing 287 pages at a cost of 8 shillings 6 pence net. No further content or evaluation of this book is provided in the passage; the review ends immediately after the bibliographic details.
Main Arguments
The reviews in this collection collectively advance several implicit arguments about the state of scientific publishing and education in the early 1920s. The most prominent of these concerns the challenge of making scientific and technical knowledge accessible to non-specialist audiences. This theme recurs across multiple reviews, from the confectionery students with little or no knowledge of elementary science to the boys in continuation schools who need to be interested in physical studies, and from the amateur astronomers requiring clear explanations of ordinary astronomical terms to the physics and engineering students who need elementary mathematics they can readily understand. The reviewers consistently praise authors who succeed in this difficult task of popularisation without sacrificing accuracy or depth, and criticise those who fall short.
A related argument concerns the importance of practical, useful knowledge. The reviewers repeatedly evaluate books in terms of their utility for specific professional or educational purposes. The confectionery handbook is assessed for its usefulness to students in organised courses; the electrician’s pocket-book is recommended to all practically engaged in electricity-using industries; the explosives primer is described as useful for all chemistry students and for those directly involved in explosives manufacture and use; the wireless telegraphy volume is commended for providing a résumé of most of the useful practical information available. This emphasis on practical utility reflects the broader post-war drive toward technical education and industrial efficiency.
The reviews also advance arguments about the importance of accuracy and currency in scientific publishing. The star atlas is praised for being full and accurate with very few exceptions, while specific errata are carefully listed. The colloid chemistry textbook is commended for embodying much recent work in its rewritten fourth edition. The electrician’s pocket-book is noted as having been revised to include new sections on recent technological developments. Conversely, the review of Schenker’s book on fuel oils criticises the author for confining himself to Continental practice and failing to include British testing methods and specification forms, while the review of Grant’s confectionery handbook criticises the bibliography for its careless compilation. These criticisms reflect the reviewers’ conviction that scientific books must be both accurate and current to serve their purpose.
A further implicit argument concerns the proper relationship between theory and practice in scientific education. The review of Riley’s The Age of Power praises the book for containing enough, but not too much, speculative matter to stimulate the thoughtful reader. The review of Walter’s wireless telegraphy volume notes approvingly that the mathematics given is of the most elementary description and will be readily understood by every physicist and engineer. The review of Farmer’s explosives book observes that the treatment is far from being merely a popular account, despite its easy style. These comments suggest a belief that scientific education should balance theoretical understanding with practical application, and that books should be pitched at a level appropriate to their intended audience.
Key Concepts
Several key concepts emerge from the reviews, reflecting the scientific and technological concerns of the period. The concept of energy and its transformations is central to Riley’s The Age of Power, which the reviewer describes as a first book of energy, its sources, transformations, and uses. The book covers windmills, steam engines, internal combustion engines, and various types of turbines, providing a comprehensive introduction to the ways in which natural sources of power are harnessed for human purposes. This focus on energy reflects the broader industrial context of the early twentieth century, when the efficient generation and use of power was a matter of pressing economic and strategic importance.
The concept of colloids represents a more theoretical scientific concern. Hatschek’s textbook on the physics and chemistry of colloids is described as one of the best introductory textbooks on the subject in any language, suggesting that colloid science was a rapidly developing field of considerable importance. Colloids, substances in which one material is dispersed evenly throughout another, were increasingly recognised as fundamental to understanding a wide range of natural and industrial processes, from the behaviour of gels and emulsions to the properties of soils and biological materials.
The concept of directive wireless telegraphy reflects the revolutionary developments in communications technology that had occurred in the preceding decades. The review traces the history of the Bellini and Tosi system, from its first demonstration to the Physical Society of London through its practical application during the war. The ability to determine the direction of radio signals and to use this for position finding represented a major technological advance with obvious military and maritime applications. The review’s detailed account of the system’s development and its practical utility illustrates the rapid pace of technological change in this period.
The concept of standardisation in testing methods emerges from the review of Schenker’s book on fuel and lubricating oils. The reviewer criticises the author for confining himself to Continental practice and failing to include British testing methods and specification forms. Specific instruments are named: Redwood’s viscometer, the British standard instrument; Abel’s flash-point apparatus; and the bomb calorimeter. This attention to the details of testing procedures reflects the growing importance of standardisation in industry, as manufacturers and consumers sought reliable ways to compare and evaluate materials.
The concept of adulteration and quality control appears in the review of Grant’s confectionery handbook, which covers the chief impurities and adulterations of raw materials. This concern with the purity and authenticity of food products reflects the broader public health concerns of the period, when food adulteration was a significant social problem that had led to the passage of various food safety legislation.
Themes
Several themes run through the collection, connecting the diverse reviews into a coherent whole. The most pervasive theme is that of education and the dissemination of knowledge. Nearly every review addresses the question of how scientific and technical knowledge can best be communicated to different audiences, whether they are children, students, or practising professionals. The reviewers consistently evaluate books in terms of their pedagogical effectiveness, praising those that succeed in making complex subjects accessible and criticising those that fail to meet the needs of their intended readers.
A related theme is the relationship between specialised knowledge and general understanding. Several of the reviewed books attempt to bridge the gap between expert knowledge and lay understanding, whether by explaining the culture of primitive peoples through their folk-tales, introducing boys to the principles of energy and power, or providing amateur astronomers with the information they need to use a star atlas effectively. The reviewers’ responses to these attempts reveal a tension between the desire for accessibility and the demand for accuracy, a tension that remains central to scientific communication.
The theme of technological progress and its consequences is also prominent. The reviews of books on wireless telegraphy, explosives, and electrical equipment all engage with the rapid technological developments of the preceding decades, many of which had been accelerated by the war. The review of Walter’s wireless telegraphy book explicitly traces the history of a technology that lay dormant until the war proved its practical utility, while the review of Farmer’s explosives book notes the shift from military to peaceful applications. These reviews capture a moment when the relationship between science, technology, and society was being renegotiated in the aftermath of the war.
The theme of international comparison and competition emerges in several reviews. The review of Browne’s cocoa book discusses the warning to the West African cocoa industry about the potential of South American cocoa-growing countries, which have been deprived of their former pride of place. The review of Schenker’s book on fuel oils criticises the author for confining himself to Continental practice rather than including British methods. These comments reflect the economic rivalries and nationalistic concerns of the post-war period, when nations were competing for markets, resources, and technological leadership.
The theme of the natural world and its resources is present in the reviews of books on cocoa, folk-tales, and fuel oils. Browne’s cocoa book is praised for its first-hand knowledge of the Gold Coast and its admirable glimpses of West African life, while Fleming’s folk-tale collection is valued for depicting the culture and modes of thought of primitive and early historic peoples. These reviews suggest an interest in understanding and appreciating the diversity of human cultures and natural environments, an interest that coexists with the more utilitarian concerns of industrial and commercial development.
The Author’s Conclusions
The reviews collectively convey the conclusions of their authors about the state of scientific publishing in the early 1920s. The overall impression is one of qualified approval tempered by specific criticisms. The reviewers find much to praise in the books under consideration, but they are not shy about identifying faults, whether these are errors in star catalogues, omissions in bibliographies, or failures to address the needs of British readers. This combination of appreciation and criticism reflects the reviewers’ commitment to maintaining high standards in scientific literature.
A consistent conclusion is that the best scientific books are those that successfully combine accuracy with accessibility. The books that receive the most favourable reviews are those that manage to compress a surprising amount of up-to-date material into a small, readable volume, as Farmer’s explosives book is described, or that provide a résumé of most of the useful practical information available, as Walter’s wireless telegraphy book is commended for doing. The reviewers value books that are useful to their intended audiences, whether these are students, practitioners, or general readers.
Another conclusion is that scientific publishing was flourishing in this period, with a wide range of books being produced for different audiences and purposes. The reviews cover everything from children’s folk-tales to advanced textbooks on colloid chemistry, from practical handbooks for electricians to theoretical treatises on wireless telegraphy. This diversity of publishing reflects the growing importance of science and technology in modern society, and the corresponding need for books that could educate, inform, and inspire.
The reviewers also conclude that there is room for improvement in scientific publishing. The criticisms levelled at various books, whether for inadequate bibliographies, insufficient attention to British practice, or errors in factual details, suggest that the reviewers believed authors and publishers could and should do better. The detailed lists of errata and omissions that appear in several reviews indicate a commitment to accuracy that the reviewers felt was not always matched by the books under consideration.
Significance
This collection of reviews is significant for several reasons. It provides a valuable snapshot of scientific publishing in the early 1920s, revealing the range of books being produced for different audiences and the standards by which they were judged. The reviews illuminate the concerns and values of the scientific community in post-war Britain, including the emphasis on practical utility, the importance of accurate and current information, and the challenge of making scientific knowledge accessible to non-specialists.
The collection also documents the state of several scientific and technological fields at a particular moment in their development. The review of Walter’s book on directive wireless telegraphy traces the history of a technology that had recently proved its practical utility, while the review of Hatschek’s colloid chemistry textbook notes the rapid advances that had occurred in that field. The reviews of books on explosives, fuel oils, and electrical equipment reveal the industrial applications of science that had become increasingly important in the modern world.
The reviews are also significant as examples of scientific criticism. They demonstrate the careful, detailed evaluation that characterised reviews in Nature, one of the most prestigious scientific journals of the period. The reviewers assess each book on its own terms, considering its intended audience, its success in achieving its aims, and its accuracy and currency. They are not afraid to criticise, but their criticisms are specific and constructive, intended to help authors and publishers improve their work.
Finally, the collection is significant for what it reveals about the broader cultural and intellectual context of the early 1920s. The reviews reflect the post-war emphasis on technical education and industrial efficiency, the international rivalries that persisted after the conflict, and the growing importance of science in everyday life. They capture a moment when the relationship between science, technology, and society was being redefined, and when the communication of scientific knowledge to wider audiences was becoming an increasingly important concern. The collection thus offers modern readers a window into a pivotal period in the history of science and scientific publishing, and a reminder of the enduring challenges of making scientific knowledge accessible, accurate, and useful.
