Book Review: Pocket Ref Chris Greacen Want to know how many BTUs in a kilowatt-hour? What cement/ sand/ gravel ratio to use for a waterproof basement wall? Wonder where to look to find what XHHW wire is? Want to know the code for "backspace" for a HP Laserjet printer? How about the area code for Lubbock, Texas? What is the windspeed in a 10 force gale? The length of a 20d nail? How many BTUs in a gallon of propane? What's the specific gravity of oyster shells? You can find these and about 25,000 benchmark values, codes and conversion factors in Pocket Ref compiled by Thomas J. Glover. Ten dollars is a bit of a hefty price for a 480 page book so small (3.2 inch by 5.4 inch by 0.7 inch), but having this information in one package will quickly save you $10 of your time. The index in the back could use another twenty pages, but it is sufficient enough to find what you need: if the info is in the book, you'll find it. Around Home Power Galactic Central, Pocket Ref is the book of choice for on-the-fly calculations. The CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics now hunkers unused on shelf for all but the most esoteric information. If you ever find yourself needing assorted benchmark engineering information, buy this book and keep it easily accessible. Access Pocket Ref compiled by Thomas J. Glover (ISBN#0-9622359-0- 3) Sequoia Publishing Inc., Department 101, P.O. Box 620820, Littleton, CO 80162-0820. This book is available from Real Goods (see ad on page 31 of this issue) or from Forestry Suppliers Inc., 205 Ranklin St., Jackson, MS 39201 ù 601-354- 3505 Reviewer: Chris Greacen, c/o Home Power, POB 520, Ashland, OR 97520 ù 916-475-3179