Leong AS-Y, Cooper K, Joel F, Leong W-M. (£45.00.) Oxford University Press, 1999. ISBN 1 900151 31 6.

With the ever increasing workload in pathology and the academic and administrative bench tops, my room has become like Steptoe's backyard: strewn with brand new items such as glossy copies of pathology journals, ACP and RCPath news bulletins, commercial catalogues, theses and books to review. In addition, there are the usual painful “piles” of all and sundry correspondence, waiting to receive my immediate attention. Among this paraphernalia has lain the nicely bound copy of the book by Leong et al also waiting earnestly for its turn. Unfortunately, despite numerous conscience pricking personal reminders including “to-ings” and “fro-ings” of the book in my brief case from work to home I somehow consistently failed to …