The chemistry of the non-metals

Published in 1966 by Prentice-Hall, The Chemistry of the Non-Metals was written by William L. Jolly, a prominent professor of chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley. The text was created as an instructional resource for advanced undergraduate and graduate-level students, emerging during a period when inorganic chemistry was undergoing a rigorous formalization in academic curricula. Jolly aimed to provide a systematic, descriptive survey of non-metallic elements, emphasizing bonding theories and structural principles rather than rote memorization.

The book is noted for its concise, highly technical approach, which reflected the pedagogical style prevalent in post-war American university research departments. By moving away from purely descriptive inorganic chemistry toward a structure-based framework, Jolly’s work became a staple in physical inorganic chemistry courses. It was well-regarded by contemporaries for its clarity and for bridging the gap between theoretical models and experimental data, securing its place as a reliable reference in chemistry libraries for decades.