Customer Reviews

Chem-Bio: Frequently Asked Questions (CB-FAQ)

* The tables of potential agents derived from toxins and microorganisms and their properties (and the little table of proper singular and plural forms of the names that gave the impression that the author had seen it wrong just once too often).

* A section on the so-called Novichok agents that gives a very concise overview of what is known about these agents (at least to those without a security clearance).

* The footnote to the table of "How many drops does it take to kill a man?" which puts this information into perspective.

A minus - while the acronym table was probably fairly complete when the book was being written, there has been an explosion of new acronyms, and it could stand to be expanded.

It would also be useful (in future editions, perhaps) to include a few case studies beyond the obligatory nod to the Tokyo Subway incident.

While it appears to be intended as a training companion to Tempest's "First Responder Chem-Bio Handbook," it can also stand alone (and should probably be required reading for reporters, judging from a recent radio report in which anthrax was misidentified as a chemical agent - and don't forget that table of plural forms).

This book would make an excellent jargon-buster, and probably serves best as a reference and jargon buster when reading more detailed books and publications.

A good introduction to the general issues and a handy jargon-buster, but perhaps a little overpriced given its size and lack of detail.