Genetics of Mitochondrial Diseases is the 47th volume in the widely read series Oxford Monographs on Medical Genetics. Despite its relatively small size, this book provides a comprehensive review of contemporary understanding of the genetic and biochemical basis of human mitochondrial disease. Unlike other books in the series, this volume focuses on the laboratory science, rather than the clinical genetics. As such it provides an excellent introduction to the field for a scientist or clinician interested in understanding the mechanisms at the cellular, organellar, or genome level. It also provides a useful reference text for workers in the field, who, quite naturally, only have expertise in one or two of the many areas covered in the book. The editor, Ian Holt, has managed to obtain contributions from prominent figures in most of the key laboratories working in the field but, unlike many multi-author books, there is little overlap between the chapters. The …