Nathan and Oski's Hematology of Infancy and Childhood, 6th edn.

Nathan, David, Orkin, Stuart, Ginsburg, David and Thomas Look, A., Saunders, , 2004 . Volumes 1 and 2 , 1864 pp . Weighing in at 5 kg the latest edition of this standard textbook of Paediatric Haematology has acquired a new editor, Thomas Look, and several new authors. Thomas Look was brought in to revise the Oncology section and promptly got rid of the solid tumours chapter to focus entirely on haematological malignancies. Although this decision may appear to create a divide between haematology and oncology, where traditionally (in paediatrics, at least) this has been seen as a single discipline, I think it merely reflects the situation on the ground. And there are plenty of other resources for haematologists with an interest in solid tumours. So how do you review a 2000-page text authored by 80 pre-eminent clinicians and scientists in the field whose contributions to the speciality have influenced every aspect of its development and progress? After much thought, I finally settled upon an approach which asked the following question of the book. Does it provide a more accessible and richer information resource than online search engines and the latest review article on a particular subject? The answer, of course, depends on who is asking the question. Someone new to the topic will find the book a good starting point for background reading at the start of a project. The chapters are comprehensively referenced with fairly up-to-date bibliographies. If it is reference ranges you are looking for, this is the book for you. Where else could you find a reference range for neonatal reticulocyte count at a moment's notice? But what was in it for a jobbing paediatric haematologist with a full-time malignant, non-malignant and laboratory practice? To answer that question, I let it be my main source of information for answers to clinical problems arising in my practice during a 3-month period. The test here was how often does the book provide me with a partial or complete answer, or point me in its direction? Additionally, I thoroughly read a couple of chapters to refresh my knowledge of disorders that I rarely encountered in routine practice. This was to see whether the authors could hold my attention in a subject which was mainly of academic interest to me at the time of reading. So here I was looking for well written and easily comprehensible information. On the first test, there were mixed results. I was unable to find even a reference to my specific clinical problems in the chapters on management of leukaemia and lymphoma, but they were complex questions for which answers were found only after a long literature search. On the contrary, I did find answers to specific haemostasis and red cell disorder questions quite easily and without recourse to any other information source. Both chapters I read out of general interest held my attention and provided an excellent update on the topics. I would particularly recommend Professor Luzatto's chapter on G6PD deficiency (chapter 17, p. 721). The final verdict? If you are looking to buy one book on Paediatric Haematology this year…