A fine team of state-of-the-art researcher/clinicians who know their fields have contributed to the advancement of knowledge and are in a position to judge what is truly important have here pooled their thoughts in a series of chapters on the cutting edges of gastroenterology. Four attributes render this volume superior to other update-oriented publications. The first striking feature which is immediately evident upon scanning the table of contents is the imaginative choice of subjects ranging from trav- eler s diarrhea and sexually transmitted GI infections through TPN and interventional endoscopy to geriatrics and iatrogenic disease. A second outstanding feature of this volume is its success in balanc- ing basic pathophysiology with practical considerations of clinical man- agement. This is achieved in the discussions of such diverse topics as acid-peptic diseases infectious and other diarrheal syndromes and hep- atitis immunization. Throughout the book we are led smoothly from basic science principles to specific recommendations for diagnosis and therapy. This practical emphasis appears repeatedly and sometimes pro- duces a delightful surprise such as a chapter on radiology that is not tech- nology-based but instead problem-oriented.