What is there to say about a new comprehensive surgical text, the fourth on the American scene in the last 15 years? Ho hum!
But look, this one is different. It is not meant to be a textbook in the usual sense. The title reveals, and the content is true to, a broader mission than a textbook. It is equally appropriate for the practitioner and the student, something other books have aspired to but have often failed to achieve. Recognizing the rapidity of changes in surgical attitudes and methods, the editors have made "current" their watchword. They have kept the preface short, but have had the courage to state therein that a new edition will be out in two years. The paperback cover and the low price fall in line with this intent.
Nevertheless, the format throughout its 1,100 pages competes with the best, and the illustrations by Laurel V.