Retorts

Science Publishing

What is happening to our book publishers? Do they now think that books on popular science no longer need to be read by scientifically literate editors?

These questions came to my mind after reading reviews in your recent issue [June, 1999] of two books by publishers of high repute. Of the first, a physics book from John Wiley & Sons, your reviewer wrote "It contains a surprising number of scientific inaccuracies, and spelling mistakes particularly of people's names. ...sloppy and unnecessary." The second, a book on food from Penguin (NZ), contains, according to your reviewer, many errors and a deal of misinformation, and he says "... there are far too many inaccuracies and loose unsubstantiated statements...".

There seems to be a need for some pulling up of socks in publishers' offices.

Emeritus Professor Bernard Howard, Christchurch