What are some recommended chemistry books for a first-year student?

[ApexOfDE]

I am finding a book as a Xmas gift for my friend. She is a 1st-year student in Chemistry. But unfortunately I am physicist, so I don't know which book is good. So can you suggest me some title that I should buy?

Thank you.

 

[spectre101]

Well, if you're looking for a textbook I'm using "Chemistry" Fifth Edition by McMurray & Fay. It's good but it'll probably set you back $200 Canadian new.

 

[sjb-2812]

Many universities have reading lists on the web, failing that they may have timetables from which you can get contact information for lecturers and the like to see what they're recommending...

 

[chemisttree]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0801866103/?tag=pfamazon01-20

http://www.shoppbs.org/product/index.jsp?productId=2633045&cp=&kw=forgotten+genius&origkw=Forgotten+Genius&sr=1" should be required watching for all incoming Freshmen Chem majors, IMO.

 

[alxm]

P.W. Atkins textbooks are pretty popular. His "Physical Chemistry" is probably the most used introduction to the topic, and Shriver, Atkins, Langford's "Inorganic Chemistry", while not really a 'fun' book, is pretty much the only book a chemist needs on that topic unless they specialize in it.

All-in-all though I'm pretty textbook-neutral. After all, most of them cover more-or-less the same stuff in more-or-less the same way (true for physics too and pretty much everything).

As for a popular-scientific book with a chemistry theme (and a personal one) I liked "Uncle Tungsten" by Oliver Sacks.