Nuclear Physics 48 (1963) 697--698; (~) North-Holland Publishing Co.

, Amsterdam

BOOK REVIEWS

IRVING KAPLAN, Nuclear Physics, second edition (Addison-Wesley, Reading, Mass., 1963.
xiv--770 p. $ 11.50)
The second edition of Professor's Kaplan book remains, as the first one, an excellent introductory
textbook for a first course in atomic and nuclear physics. Although many chapters have been expanded
and brought up-to-date, a very elementary knowledge o f quantum mechanics remains sufficient
for its reading. Among the major changes are the expansions of the sections devoted to detection
and measurement of radiation, special relativity, nuclear models; new sections have been introduced
on the neutrino, the symmetry laws and the non-conservation of parity in beta-decay, the com-
pound nucleus theory, the optical model; other sections, such as those devoted to gamma-decay,
nuclear energy levels, isomerism, nuclear fission have been completely rewritten. The long lists of
problems and references at the end o f each chapter have also been improved.
J. Humblet

L. DE BROGUE, Introduction to the Vigier theory o.I"elementary particles (Elsevier, Amsterdam,

1963. vi--139 p. 60 s.)
The aim of this book is quite precisely stated in its title. Vigier's theory is one among innumerable
schemes of classification of elementary particles. The fact that it may be formally linked to a classical
relativistic description of rotation will not be regarded by many people as a recommendation (nor,
for that matter, is it a blemish). The author's speculations on a "subquantic medium" are not logically
related to the formalism of the classification discussed (nor, in fact, to any known physical phe-
nomena).
L.R.

Elementary particle physics andfield theory (1962 Brandeis Lectures) vol. 1 (W. A. Benjamin,
New York, 1963. vii--532 p. $ 6.55 paperbound, $ 9.90 elothbound)
Lecture notes printed in offset. Contents:
T. Fulton, Resonances in strong interaction physics
G. K[ill6n, Topics in quantum electrodynamics
J. D. Jackson, Weak interactions (with bibliography)
C. Fronsdal, Group theory and applications to particle physics. L.R.

Statisticalphysics (1962 Brandeis Lectures) vol. 3 (W. A. Benjamin, New York, 1963. vii--252 p.
$ 5.45 paperbound, $ 8.80 clothbound)
This collection, of a very heterogeneous character, consists o f essays on special topics rather than
systematic courses of lectures, (The longest course, by (3. E. Uhlenbeck, is entitled "selected topics").
The discussion by E. T. Jaynes of the relation between information theory and statistical mechanics
appears to me very unconvincing.
L.R.

(3. P. SUTTON, Rocket propulsion elements (Wiley, London, 1963. vii--464 p. 80 s.)
This engineering book, in its third revised edition, contains two chapters on nuclear rocket reactors
and nuclear rocket engine systems.
L.R.
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