Basic statistics and epidemiology: a practical guide.: Antony Stewart. (156 pages, {pound}19.95.) Radcliffe Medical Press Ltd, 2002. ISBN 1-85775-589-8.

This book is offered as an "alternative primer in basic statisticsand epidemiology and their practical use." With this objectivein mind, I can say that this book achieves its     

Handbook of women's health: an evidence-based approach.: Jo Ann Rosenfeld (ed.). (625 pages, {pound}47.50.) Cambridge University Press, 2000. ISBN 0-521-78833-1.

This is a beautiful book. It is nicely published in hardbackwith good quality paper. The book is stuffed full of facts,with extra special points highlighted in grey boxes, althoughthere are no pictures or diagrams. It is an American book byfamous American authors. Jo Ann Rosenfeld, assistant Professorat Johns     

Health targets in Europe: polity, progress and promise.: Marshall Marinker (ed.). (248 pages, {pound}19.95.) BMJ Publishing Group, 2002. ISBN 0-7279-1642-4.

This book is a bit different. The title made me groan with adisappointment only mitigated by Marshall Marinker’s nameas editor. But the book itself contained some fascinating surprisesand made a lively tutorial on European health systems. Aftera characteristically wide-ranging editorial introduction onevidence and imagination,     

Heroin century.: Tom Carnwath, Ian Smith. (216 pages, {pound}14.99.) Routledge, 2002. ISBN 0-415-27899-6.

Myths about heroin abound. They are now the basis of internationaland national policies and of widespread misery. This book tracestheir development and carefully deconstructs them, aiming primarilyto give accurate information—not to     

Quality indicators for general practice: a practical guide for health professionals and managers.: Martin Marshall, Stephen Campbell, Jenny Hacker, Martin Roland (eds). (201 pages, {pound}19.50.) Royal Society of Medicine Press Ltd, 2001. ISBN 1-85315-488-1.

This is a terrific book. It is a reference source for all whoseek to use indicators to measure quality. That means everyonein the health business everywhere. Unlike many volumes on thesubject, the group from the National Primary     

Addiction.: By David Marteau. Quay Books Division, Mark Allen Publishing, Ltd, London. 2001, 168pp., {pound}14.99. ISBN: 1-85642-189-9.

Addiction was written by David Marteau, a nurse and former headof treatment at Clouds House. It is a short book offering comprehensivecoverage of the causes, nature and treatment of     

The purchasing of health care by primary care organizations; and evaluation and guide to future policies.: Nicholas Mays, Sally Wyke, Gill Malbon, Nick Goodwin (eds). (341 pages, {pound}25.) Open University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-335-20900-9.

This book has two objectives. The first is to review the potentialfor effective purchasing of health care in the UK by primarycare organizations. The second is to compile and review theresearch information about Total Purchasing Pilots (TPPs). In this book can     

Chemical Dependency Counseling, A Practical Guide.: By Robert R. Perkinson. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA. 2nd edn: 2002, 544 pp., {pound}39.00. ISBN: 0-7619-2388-8.

The book’s author, Robert R. Perkinson, is a licensedpsychologist and a certified alcohol and drug counsellor whois Clinical Director of the Keystone Treatment Centre in SouthDakota. The book is intended as a     

Sexual health in obstetrics and gynaecology. Janet Wilson, Marian Everett. (136 pages.) Pub Remedica. ISBN 1-901346-04-8

This is a clear, concise well laid out book to update your knowledgeon sexual health, in line with the new Department of Health     

Prescription for learning: techniques, games and activities.: Ruth Chambers, Gill Wakley, Zafat Iqbal, Steve Field. (262 pages, {pound}23.50.) Radcliffe Medical Press Ltd, 2002. ISBN 1-85775-530-8.

I was delighted to be given a copy of this book to review. Iinstantly knew this would be a very handy addition to my educationalkit bag. This is not a bedtime read but a manual packed withtechniques,     

Childhood headache.: Ishaq Aug-Arafeh (ed.). (208 pages, hardback {pound}45.) Cambridge University Press, 2002. ISBN 1-898-68326-3.

This well written and clearly set out book is edited by an eminentpaediatrician from Scotland, assisted by a wide range of specialistsfrom all over the world. It is an in-depth analysis of all aspectsof     

Measurement tools in patient education. Second edition.: Barbara K Redman. (486 pages, US$78.80.) Springer Publishing Company, 2003. ISBN 0-8261-9859-7.

This is a cookbook of recipes to evaluate patients’ perceptionsabout—well—about quite a lot of things actually.The main body of the book describes 86 instruments for measuringpatients’ beliefs, attitudes, behaviours, decision     

How much risk? A guide to understanding environmental health hazards.: Inge F Goldstein, Martin Goldstein. (351 pages, {pound}19.99.) Oxford University Press, 2002. ISBN 0-19-513994-1.

Every public health doctor and many family doctors will haveencountered the difficulties of interpreting clusters of cancersor malformations in a local area and experienced the resultingdissatisfaction of the inhabitants. This book     

Residents' teaching skills.: Janine C Edwards, Joan A Friedland, Robert Bing-You (eds). (280 pages, hardback US$ 42.95.) Springer Publishing Company, 2002. ISBN 0-8261-1436-9.

This volume is intended to be a "primary text book for briefcourses, workshops, seminars and conferences on resident [doctorsin training] teaching skills". It is a densely packed volumein two parts, the first entitled ‘Information and     

Professional development: a guide for general practice.: Robin While, Margareth Attwood. (192 pages, {pound}20.95.) Blackwell Science Ltd, 2000. ISBN 0-632-05629-0.

This book is a ‘must have’ for all general practices.It brings together all you need to know or might want to knowabout Professional Development. It sets out to be a practicalbook and in 180 pages it covers     

The general practitioner his patients and their feelings.: Sotiris Zalidis. (261 pages, {pound}16.95.) Free Association Books Ltd, 2001. ISBN 1-85343-527-9.

In an era of increasing pressure for physicians to keep costsdown and increasing discontent of patients with their healthcare, Zalidis’s book provides a thoughtful approach toidentifying and treating psychosomatic disorders in generalpractice. Properly identifying psychosomatic issues in generalpractice     

The new private practice: therapist-coaches share stories, strategies, and advice.: Lynn Grodzki (ed.). (275 pages, US$32.) WW Norton & Company Ltd, 2002. ISBN 0-393-70379-7.

When I first picked up this book, I did not know what to think.I had never heard of coaching outside of sports, and had noidea how it might relate to my practice as a primary care physician.The     

Patients, power and responsibility: the first principles of consumer-driven reform. John Spiers. (272 pages, {pound}27.95.) Radcliffe Medical Press Ltd, 2003. ISBN 1-85775-924-9

This book has an important argument to make for anyone concernedto reconcile patient orientation or consumerism with good standardsof health care, cost limitation and equitable provision. Thisis one of the great challenges in modern health care developmentthroughout the world. The author, a former Health     

Parenting well when you're depressed: a complete resource for maintaining a healthy family.: Joanne Nicholson, Alexis D Henry, Jonathan C Clayfield, Susan M Phillips. (234 pages, US$ 17.95.) New Harbinger Publications, 2001. ISBN 1-57224-251-5.

The four authors have impressive credentials in their respectivefields of psychology, occupational therapy, psychiatric rehabilitationand counselling, as well as clinical and personal experienceof family mental illness. However, this book is the productof research involving a much larger group of people     

Child and adolescent obesity: causes and consequencies, prevention and management.: Walter Burniat, Tim Cole, Inge Lissau, Elizabeth Poskitt (eds). (436 pages, {pound}65.) Cambridge University Press, 2002. ISBN 0-521-65237-5.

When I was asked to review this book, I was delighted. I amin the process of setting up new community clinics in Leedsfor overweight children, and saw this review as my opportunityfor ensuring I was