Edited by Pallav Shah, Felix Herth, Y C Gary Lee and Gerald Criner

1^st Edition

Published CRC Press published October 2018

ISBN  978-1-4441-8646-8

Price £ 95.20

https://www.crcpress.com/Essentials-of-Clinical-Pulmonology/Shah-Herth-Lee-Criner/p/book/9781444186468

I am sometimes a little wary of first editions of medical textbooks as there is a steep learning curve needed to produce a good quality medical textbook. However great credit should go to the editors, who have produced a very fine general textbook of respiratory medicine which deserves to have a wide readership. It is an excellent post graduate book which will be ideal for respiratory physicians as well as primary care staff. I would suspect a GP would find this a very useable book which could probably be the only respiratory textbook they will require for most educational needs. Trainees in chest medicine will also find this an excellent companion in their journey.

The use of the word Pulmonology in the title is interesting because this is not a term that is used much here in the UK in everyday clinic practice. Yet one of the strengths of this book is that this is a global book with editors drawn from 4 different countries. In addition, there is a wide array of contributors drawn from a number of different centres. This gives a very rounded view of respiratory medicine and enhances its appeal to a global audience.

The text is broken up by good quality images and helpful tables but with all good textbooks, it is the quality of the text is that really counts. There is plenty of good quality text here which works in tandem with the boxes, images and tables which illustrate the issues raised in the text. The text is very readable, clear and well crafted and pitched at the level which a clinician would appreciate. The layout is logical and the depth is detailed and yet understandable. This would make a good reference source for a wide range of health care professionals which could span both primary and secondary care.

Bundled with the purchase price is an electronic offering of the book which allows an app to be available on your smartphone and a web version. Both these digital offerings possess the full content of the book and is very easy to use and access the content, this is particularly useful when on the move. This service is provided by the publisher and can be an electronic bookshelf housing other digital products from the same publisher.

Overall this is a very impressive book which is readable and informative and covers its subject in significant depth and ideal for a practicing clinician. It’s not cheap but neither is it expensive and if you think you will use it regularly then it could be a worthwhile investment.

Dr Harry Brown

November 2018