The title of this volume implies that it offers the reader a comprehensive picture of this complex and multifaceted discipline. The earlier editions of the book have, in fact, achieved that objective remarkably well, and the tradition continues to be upheld in the updated version.
As before, the volume is multiauthored, drawing on many of the most distinguished contributors to the field, both from the United States and abroad. The writing, with few exceptions, is clear and concise, with little of the unevenness that so often characterizes works of multiple authorship. Illustrations are plentiful and well chosen and each section includes an ample, updated reference list. A new larger-page format and a change from the annoyingly semitransparent paper of the previous edition substantially improve the readability.
Several chapters have been extensively rewritten and new sections have been added, including a brief but well-referenced section on bone marrow transplantation and a