The structure of the planets

Abstract

Think of a very talented and imaginative scientist, marooned on a desert island with nothing more than pencil and paper, a few facts (less than some planetary scientists carry in their heads) and a good intuition for basic physics. If so inclined, he or she might then produce a book like this. In these days of information overload and excessive reliance on computer modeling (especially among students), one has to admire the concept of John Elder's book, even though his preface warns us that "…the other reader should regard the details of the numerical models with extreme skepticism" (I would have said outright disbelief). However, it is a concept that can fail upon implementation, more frequently than a conventional, dull monograph would fail. I have to report that in my view, this book is a failure, even though I continue to admire some aspects of Elder's iconoclastic view of planetary science.

Additional details