reference

I have been using the 2 volume American Medical Association Home Medical Encyclopedia for several years and loved it. My only complaint was that it had been published in 1989, and a lot of things can change in the world of medicine in 2-3 years, let alone 10-12 years. So, I was very happy to see that a newer, one volume edition had been published. As was its predecessor, it is a very comprehensive resource, written in layman's terms, but not in a simplistic manner. Not only are medical conditions described in concise yet thorough detail, but symptoms and treatments are included as well.

The only thing keeping my review from being 5 stars is that it has fewer photographs than the 1989 publication. In some instances, a drawing does fine, but in others, it is a poor substitute. For example, In the new edition, there is a drawing used to illustrate a goiter, and all you really see is some shading on the neck that gives no sense of the size or proportions of what a real goiter would be like. In the 1989 version, a photo of a person with a goiter clearly and accurately depicts the condition. I would not want the lack of photography to keep someone from acquiring the book, because it is an excellent resource. Whenever the next revision is done, however, the extensive use photograpy needs to be reincorporated.

My family has always relied on the old AMA Encyclopedia; this new edition is terrific. It has more definitions, even better illustrations and photos, and more practical information. I especially like the symptoms charts and the color section on the human body. With all the questionable health information on the Web, it's good to have all the basics in an up-to-date guide from a source you can trust.