Corrin B

676 pp, London, Churchill and Livingstone, 2000 ($295.00).

Although this book represents the revised and updated version of a previous edition published approximately 10 years ago as Volume 5 of the series on systemic pathology edited by Symmers, it is still a major tour de force. Books of this size and significance are simply not written anymore by a single author. One must admire the effort and dedication of Professor Corrin, his meticulous perfectionism, and his devotion to beauty that pathologists periodically discover in their specimens, as long as they are willing to spend the necessary time to search for the fleeting moment to be captured with their cameras.

First of all, this is a beautiful book. It is printed on heavy paper, nicely bound, illustrated with high-quality color-balanced pictures and quite a number of line drawings. Overall, it is a pleasure to hold in one’s hands and even greater pleasure to peruse. The text, written in awe-inspiring English, is comprehensive, informative, and authoritative. It is apparent that the author, who can explain the meaning and evolution of terms such as endogenous pneumoconiosis, must have been around for some time. Discussion of topics such as catamenial hemothorax and the reasons why it is almost always on the right side or micronodular hyperplasia of pneumocytes type II in tuberous sclerosis may sound esoteric, but this shows that the author is not only informed but also a true scholar. In an era when scholarship is somewhat out-of-fashion, such an approach is reassuring, at least for some of us old-timers.

I have used the book for almost a month and have not yet found a topic that is not adequately explained. Professor Corrin is an excellent teacher and when he says something, you believe him. On the other hand when he writes “such claims must be regarded as somewhat tenuous,” you know that he is politely, but firmly, disagreeing with the particular view expressed by some authors. Practicing pathologists will appreciate this kind of honesty, in the best tradition of Maimonides (“Teach thy tongue to say I do not know”), and I hope that many of you will include it among the essential books of your library.