This introduction to biochemistry emphasizes the fundamentals, integrated with a thorough treatment of the molecules and pathways of living chemistry. The book begins with the structures and functions of biomolecules, takes the student through bioenergies, and the pathways of synthesis and degradations, and concludes with a section on biological information - the molecular biology of the gene. An integrated understanding of the subject is conveyed by emphasizing the chemistry of biochemistry and systematically relating the physical properties of molecules to their biochemical roles. Selective emphasis on the most important topics (properties of enzymes, pathway dynamics and stereochemistry) contribute to a preparation in the basics of biochemistry.