Reference Reviews

Reference for Students

Alternative Energy. Edited by Neil Schlager and Jayne Weisblatt. Detroit, Mich.: Thomson*Gale, 2006. 3 vols. 409 p. $172.00. ISBN 0-7876-9440-1.

The world today is far too dependent upon fossil fuel sources of energy. Students who study the environmental issues around this know that these nonrenewable sources with their impact on the environment must be replaced by alternative sources of energy. This set discusses natural gas, petroleum and coal and then focuses on new and emerging developments such as bioenergy, geothermal power and solar energy, hydrogen, nuclear, water and wind energy. One chapter includes information on energy conservation and efficiency. Each book has a full Table of Contents, an 11-page glossary and the same overview. Individual articles have both black and white and color photos. Inset boxes include additional information and “Words to Know.” One of particular interest was a copy of a letter from Albert Einstein to President Roosevelt discussing the possibilities and implications of nuclear research. Each volume ends with the same 9-page bibliography of books, periodicals and Web sites and the index to all 3 volumes. This will be useful for interested students in middle school as well as high school.