Organic Chemistry as a Second Language (book)

This book was outstanding at what it claims to do: translating the basic concepts. It really puts things such as resonance, acid-base chemistry, stereochemistry, and nomenclature in simple, easy to understand terminology, and it helped me ace my first midterm. However, this stuff only covers the first third of my orgo I class. When the book starts covering mechanisms, it essentially says "We're done giving you information, consult your textbook for the rest of the course and take notes in this book."

Again, this book was tremendously helpful for the basic concepts of the beginning of organic chem I. Whether that's worth $40 is up to you.

After purchasing several orgo books to supplement my textbook, I've found this to be the best. It offers clear, cogent explanations to the concepts found in my main text, and provides short problem sets with answers which provide quick checks of understanding. If you buy just one book to help you through orgo, this should be it !

They are wrong, and this book proves it. I took o'chem 1 and 2, and the MCAT once and did pretty well. This book still cleared up things that i never really saw the first time around.

I could write a long description of the methods Klein uses to walk you through the steps to becoming competent in o'chem, but i'd rather just tell you that you can't spend a better $50 in college. Period.

Got it at Barnes and Nobles for 45 bucks i think.

After reading the other positive reviews that almost make this book out to be a "holy grail" of the sorts, I assumed that this book would be of great help as an aid to my Organic Chemistry I textbook. However, as an aid, it really does a poor job of covering the information.

Klein spends ample amounts of time on Resonance, a concept which isn't too hard to grasp. Yes, it might be challenging for some, but when the course really gets tough (ie. Mechanisms), Klein tells you to "consult your textbook" and provides lots of white space in the book for you to copy down mechanisms and memorize them yourself.

It is this aspect of this "aid" which makes it so frustrating - Klein leaves you hanging in the most difficult part of Organic Chemistry. Quite frankly, I wouldn't waste my time with this book - if you really find yourself struggling with Resonance than you are going to have a lot more problems in organic chemistry than this book can solve.

Mechanisms are the hardest part of Orgo, and this book provides NO help for that besides white textboxes for you to copy them down from your textbook. Don't waste your time and money, if you want a supplement, get one that at least teaches you mechanisms.

I spent $40 for this book that is full of white textboxes for me to copy mechanisms down, I would hope that I can at least save some students from making the same mistake I did.

In all honesty, instead if buying this book, you are better off buying a few cases of beer - stress-busting is a good way to deal with organic chemistry!

I'm one of the lucky few who are able to have Dr. Klein as a professor. He requires the OSL books in his course -- and for good reason; they are infinitely easier to understand than standard textbooks, give lots of practice problems, and really help you understand the material. Of course it helps that Dr. Klein teaches the class in the same way that he wrote the book, but I would recommend this to any Orgo student.

However, don't expect to sell this book to someone else -- it's really a workbook, and it's very helpful to be able to write in and do the exercises in the book.