Hi I Am New - Looking For Book Suggestion

[Guest bookcollect]

I am glad I found this forum there seems to be some knowledgeable people here that could help me out. Amazon and search engines have not rendered what I am looking for. I need a collection of books or book that are/is designed for people with a basic knowledge of science (10-12 grade level) who want to learn more about Chemistry / Physics / Biology. Something that will describe the basics then allow my areas of interest that are birthed to continue into more detailed books. I was a good student in high school and am looking for a refresher so I can continue learning on my own. I will need it to be self study (not a text book) aimed at adult learners. To satisfy my interest in Mathematics I found a series of books from the 1930's. This series of five books covers everything from Basic math to Calculus, named For The Practical Man this set is written by Thompson. I found this set very educational and I am looking for something similar for Science. I find it easier to learn from older books because they seem more straight forward but this is probably not a good idea with science because it is always changing. So I am looking for a straight forward book, I want to work very hard to really learn the information, because this is self study out of interest I need something that will do more then "teach me to take tests." Also a set of books might be better because once on a learning track it may be easier to stick to a single writing and thinking style. Can anyone refer me to anything. Thanks so much in advance for any help you can offer, this looks like a great site and I am sure I will learn a lot by reading around here.