RE A DU BION, Bw DL kT N 37 
BOOK REVIEWS 
PEOPLE: An Introduction to the Study of Population. Cook 
and Lecht. Columbia Books, 424 Southern Bldg. N.W., Wash- 
ington, D.C. 20005. Paperback $1.50. 1968. 64 pages. Illustrated. 
yurgeoning world population is a contributing factor to some of the 
1d’s common problems: water and air pollution, urban stagnation, hu- 
1 hunger, poverty of the landscape, increasing frustrations, and wars 
fe and small While the information presented in these pages may not 
1ew to the sophisticated student of population problems, its style and 
sentation fulfills its purpose: to teach the high school student of the 
act of an increasing world population, and to serve as a teaching tool 
social science teachers. 
It provides world population data for 136 countries in headings listed 
er tables on “current rate of population growth, life expectancy at 
h, population under 15, per capita national income, population estimates 
1968, etc.” 
Two million cars now file past the gates of Yellowstone Park each 
mer and traffic is bumper to bumper on any morning in July. The 
retary of Interior has stated that it may not be long before we may 
e to ration the number of visitors to our national parks to keep up the 
lity, because population pressures can destroy the parks and their 
life. The book concludes by stating that a planet with 7 billion people 
ggling and fighting for food and resources would be full of danger for 
ryone. It suggests we all share a responsibility for an earth safe, decent, 
utiful and abundant in resources, and wildlife. The book is in its 
d printing. —Raymond Mostek 
BIRTH CONTROL. By Ernest Havemann and the 
Editors of Time-Life Books. 117 pages. $3.95. 
‘th Control’ is a discussion in depth of conception plus chapters on 
h control in the past, present and future. It discusses the choice of 
h control methods open to today’s mothers and fathers. The causes and 
2s of sterility are very adequately presented. The place of abortion in 
world of today is presented impartially and realistically. Finally the 
strous effects of the population explosion are recounted including the 
i-starvation and squalor that is part of life in much of the world today. 
slowly increasing acceptance of birth control in many of these countries 
ocumented, but it is clearly shown that these efforts are still woefully 
lequate to relieve the malnutrition and neglect, so widespread in the 
ttos of our large cities and thruout many of the poorer countries. 
A conspicuous absence is the omission of any discussion on the rapid 
ion of our natural environment, due to rapid population increase here 
he United States of America. This would be of special interest to con- 
rationists and is a message that still needs to be carried to the general 
ulation. It will take very effective presentation to bring this home to 
¢ who are in the best position to do something about it, namely 
religious leaders, legislators and others in governmental positions. 
Numerous high quality photographs greatly increase the effectiveness 
his interesting aducational presentation. 
—George H. Woodruff, M.D. 
