The first edition of Micropropagation of orchids (by Arditti and Ernst) was published in 1993 and ran to almost 700 pages in a single volume. It followed on from the appendix of tissue culture propagation techniques published in Orchid biology, reviews and perspectives Vol. 1 (Arditti, 1977). Micropropagation of orchids (1st edition) consisted of a historical introduction, a general outline of techniques and procedures, descriptions of methods (covering the period 1949–1990) for about 80 genera and nothogenera (hybrids between genera) arranged alphabetically, a summary chapter, references and indexes to people, organisms and subjects. Both of these works proved to be useful and popular syntheses of the many methods published in many different (often obscure) publications. In his preface to the second edition, Arditti describes the process leading to this new version, starting in 2001 and including techniques published up to 2004. The new edition was necessary because the first was out of print and out of date – ‘more new methods were published between 1990 and the year 2000 than from 1949 to 1990’. The result is a much enlarged two-volume boxed set, running to more than 1500 pages. A major change from the first edition is the inclusion of a much expanded historical chapter, including ‘parts of the story’ that the authors were made to exclude from the equivalent chapter in the first edition ‘because they questioned established dogma and the claims of the presumed discoverer [of orchid micropropagation, Georges Morel]’. In this new edition, the author states that the new version of this chapter ‘pulls no punches, tells the story as it happened, and places all historical figures in proper perspective’. The history is told from a personal perspective and represents much sleuthing by the author, but I am not convinced that it is a truly necessary part of an up-to-date manual of methods. In addition to the historical chapter, volume 1 includes an updated general outline of techniques and procedures and descriptions of methods for genera and nothogenera from Acampe to Lycaste. Volume 2 covers methods for Malaxis to Zygopetalum, and concludes with a summary chapter, references, eight appendices, a glossary and an index. In total, methods for more than 110 genera and nothogenera are described. This is where the work shows its true value – it is immensely useful to people who need to navigate their way through all the information relating to propagation of orchids through tissue culture, and it represents an amazing amount of work. Inevitably, the accounts of methods for different genera vary greatly in length. Those for important economic genera (Oncidium, Paphiopedilum, Phalaenopsis, etc.) are extensive – that for Phalaenopsis is more than 120 pages in length. In contrast, the entries for other genera (mostly less well known or less commonly cultivated) can be as short as a single paragraph. Surprisingly, even some well-known genera (e.g. Maxillaria) receive only brief entries, but this is due to an absence of appropriate published methods rather than a lack of comprehensiveness of the current work. Gripes? I have a few, but these do not really detract from the usefulness of the book. The taxonomy is at times not totally up to date. For example, Dactylorhiza spp. appear under two different headings (Dactylorchis and Dactylorhiza, the former being a synonym of the latter) arranged alphabetically, Anacamptis coriophora is listed under Orchis, and the name Nigritella is used instead of the now generally accepted Gymnadenia (Pridgeon et al., 2001). I wonder if a taxonomically based order for the genera would not be more useful than the alphabetical one used here. This would facilitate comparisons of ‘like with like’ – for example, taxa such as Doritis and Doritaenopsis are covered in volume 1 even though many people now consider these to be synonyms of Phalaenopsis (in volume 2). A few spelling mistakes have crept in (e.g. Ornithogallum for Ornithogalum on page 11, volume 1), but apart from this, the production is of a high standard. At £250, it is not the cheapest work on orchid micropropagation, but this and my minor worries do not stop me wholeheartedly recommending people actively involved in orchid micropropagation and institutional librarians to purchase the second edition of what will, I am sure, be the standard work on the subject for years to come.