I have been browsing these forums for a while and it has been apparently obvious that my chem. 12 education a number of years ago doesn’t cut it.

I wish to educate my self in the field of organic chemistry to partake in these conversations, and maybe contribute someday.

So I am asking which do you think is the most concise organic chemistry texts, books, or manuals. Be it in lab set up, creative glassware, complex organic structures naming and synthesis. Also which you think would be the best edition, publication of a first and second year organic chemistry work books. I hope this isn't taken as a spoon feeding request but I thought it was worth a shot as this is the best wealth of knowledge I have ever come across. :)

You might want to see my self education thread farther down, it is entitled "Starting them young"

Most of the people here will be rather open with guiding you to books (although searching yourself would probably have brought up a decent load of stuff, but since you are looking for opinions too, you may be spared disicpline) but from my small experience they are somewhat tight lipped on actual lab equipment and such.

Much more helpful (for me anyways) was the sciencemadness.org forums, less related to E & W, but a very good chemistry site. Helpful to beginners too, as long as you aren't stupid. A possible explanation of this percieved "tight lipped"-ness on equipment would be that if you are browsing Megalomania's section of the site with recipes, he notes all the equipment required. So you must simply obtain that which is mentioned in the synths you wish to do. Also, as you read, you will come to see what is useful in any home laboratory.

Send me a pm if you would still like my thoughts on equipment though, but for general tips, look at cynmar.com and ebay and start small. Also, check out what stuff might cause suspicion in your area, for example, in my area, buying an erlenmeyer flask makes you an automatic suspect as being a person who makes meth. On the other hand, I have yet to see the local pork bust a meth lab that used much high quality equipment, half the crap is made in cleaned out Mayo jars and such.

I am sure other more experienced members can point out other details I may have missed, but good luck to you in your education.