There are eleven programs in this book, all quite short, and all in BASIC except the last one, Attack, which contains some assembler. It is obviously aimed at younger people who are fairly new to the two machines and the authors go out of their way to be helpful. There is a gentle introduction to the PRINT command in a chapter called 'Your Briefing' and then you're into the programs themselves.

I like the layout of the program chapters. There's a general overview of what the program does, the listing, a clear flowchart, an explanation of how the program works set out in exactly the same sequence as the flowchart, a discussion of each new keyword intoduced, and finally suggestions on extending the program with tips on how this may be done. In addition, in any chapter where a new idea has been brought in - such as file handling, rounding numbers, or formatting output - there is a section called 'The way to do it'.

The programs range from simple games such as Stunt Car and Attack to spelling tests, tune learning, weather forecasting, birthday files and keeping track of your pocket money.

The book would make a nice, instructive present for any short person of your acquaintance who is even mildly interested in the new black art.

Harry Sinclair