Some aspect or other of human genetics is increasingly implicated these days in most branches of life science and medicine. Its rate of diversification and development are such that it is difficult enough to keep up-do-date with any one aspect, let alone all. This book is an impressively wide-ranging overview of clinical cytogenetics and some related topics; for anyone with a general interest it is a book into which one can dip at random and stand a good chance of learning something new. It is well-filled, squeezing up to 52 illustrated chromosome abnormalities into a single figure. The chapters are organized into four sections: (1) history, chromosome biology, and nomenclature; (2) practical aspects of chromosome analysis, including quality control, for example, but excluding any specific technical protocols; (3) clinical cytogenetics, with five chapters on constitutional abnormalities, pre- and post-natal, and one on cancer cytogenetics; (4) ‘Beyond chromosomes’, which covers some of the closely-associated subjects, such as molecular genetics of fragile X, fluorescence in situ hybridization, imprinting, and genetic counselling. Despite the huge volume of material included, it soon becomes evident that some of the topics are given a rather superficial coverage. Turning to the chapter on cancer cytogenetics, as might many of the readership of the BJH, one finds that this diverse subject is contained in just 75 pages that include 371 references and 17 tables. There is questionable use of even this limited space: three pages are devoted to a table devoid of any mention of genetics but comprising the Kiel, REAL and working formulation lymphoma classifications; another table, filling two pages, is merely a long list of chromosome abnormalities reported to occur in NHL, without any mention of clinical associations or significance. Fortunately, most of the remaining space is well used although inevitably it is heavy on generalizations and light on exceptions and detail. Very few errors were noticed, a surprising one being ‘The majority (85%) of ALL cases are T-lineage specific’. Anyone already an expert could therefore be a mite dissatisfied with the chapter on their speciality. However, it is a while since there has been such a broad-ranging collection of cytogenetics reviews and references, so this book would be a useful source for anyone, whether clinician, scientist, technician, or student, who wants to broaden or bring-up-to-date their knowledge of general human cytogenetics.