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Some Reviews - Part 3 of 4

ASTRONOMY NOW, November 1999, p. 13:

Meteorites and Their Parent Planets

Author: Harry Y. McSween Jr.
Publisher: CUP
ISBN:0-521-58751-4
Price:£16.95

This is the second edition of McSween's very popular book on meteorites
which made its first appearance in 1987. A considerable amount of new
data has come to light during the intervening 12 years and McSween's
intention was to thoroughly revise his original text. It is probably
fair to say that he has done this with considerable skill and has
produced a volume that is just as readable and, perhaps more
importantly, just as understandable as the first edition.
Meteoritics is not an easy subject to explain to people who are
principally interested in astronomy. Meteorites are essentially
assemblages of minerals and, as such, their study involves geologic
investigation. It is only when meteorites are viewed as part of the
larger cosmic jigsaw that their importance, and their role in the planet
building process, becomes evident in an astronomical sense. McSween's
vast experience ensures that he is able to bring these two subjects
together, and he manages to present the results in a language easy to
follow.
The format of the book is basically the same as that of the previous
edition. He firstly gives the reader an overview of a particular type of
meteorite and then, in the next chapter, explains what the data tell us
about the meteorite's parent body. It is a good, sensible approach.
McSween provides an almost up-to-date introduction to what is a
fascinating subject. Meteoritics is currently progressing at such a rate
that no book could contain all the latest discoveries and theories, but
Meteorites and Their Parent Planets comes close. - Phil Bagnall


Cheers,

Bernd

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