ENERGY AT WORK

This very general overview presents the textbook basics--anergy's ""two faces"" (potential and kinetic), conservation of energy, efficiency--in a picture-textbook format with several captioned color illustrations on every spread. Then comes a similar double-page each on fossil fuel (formation and coming depletion), nuclear power (chain reactions and about a two-sentence statement of pros and cons), ""energy from plants"" (as food and fuel), and the long-term possibilities of water, wind, solar (large and small-scale), and geothermal power. Indifferent generalizations detract from the whole: not all ""early civilizations"" used ""gangs of slaves""; and no longer do ""Eskimos eat raw foods and keep warm in fur coats and ice houses,"" at least not as a rule. Also, the book's British origin is betrayed in references to kettles and in terms like ""nought"" and ""petrol."" Its sweeping nature might make it convenient as an introduction to class study of energy questions, but not as a basic text or a supplement.