3rd ed. Major Problems in Neurology Series. Peter S Harper. (£55.00.) London: Harcourt. 2001. ISBN 0 7020 21520

• Harper PS. Myotonic dystrophy

As with the second edition of this book, published back in 1989, this third edition is an excellent account of clinical and scientific aspects of myotonic dystrophy. The book is easy to read, sustaining this reviewer’s attention to scan the whole book in a single sitting, while subsequently being of value as a reference for closer consultation on specific clinical and scientific details. As stated in the preface, the book is aimed at “clinicians . . .who encounter myotonic dystrophy in its numerous aspects and who need a broad overview of all the different areas” and “research scientists . . .trying to interpret . . .their work in terms of the broader effects on the disease”. The book is aimed well. “Broad overview”, “broader effects” − myotonic dystrophy involves a variety of clinical systems and presents to a variety of physicians, and the value of this book is in this wide …