Book Review

The Treatment of Epilepsy: Principles and Practice

N Engl J Med 1993; 329:1049September 30, 1993

Article

The Treatment of Epilepsy: Principles and Practice
Edited by Elaine Wyllie. 1238 pp., illustrated. Philadelphia, Lea and Febiger, 1993. $99.50. ISBN: 0-8121-1504-X

The editor of this comprehensive textbook has attempted to put together a single reference work of epileptology with a “broad but detailed overview,” and she has succeeded in this effort. The book comprises six major parts: basic mechanisms of epileptogenesis, basic principles of electroencephalography, clinical epileptology, antiepileptic medications, epilepsy surgery, and psychosocial aspects of epilepsy. Each of the major parts contains chapters by well-recognized experts -- virtually a Who's Who of epileptology -- and all the chapters are well organized and well written. Despite its great length and many authors, the book is remarkably cohesive and readable.

The book is profusely illustrated with well-placed, pertinent, and crisp line drawings and halftones of very good quality; even photographs from the last century are reproduced with unusual clarity. The numerous reproductions of electroencephalograms are remarkably clear and well annotated, and for the most part they are appropriately placed in relation to the text. The bibliographies for each of the chapters are relevant and extensive, and spot-checks of them revealed no inaccuracies. The production of the book has also been carried out with great care and skill. The paper is of high quality, and despite the book's weight the reader can readily handle it.

This remarkably authoritative and complete textbook should be on the shelves of all neurologists and neurosurgeons as well as other physicians and health professionals who have an interest in epilepsy. There is little doubt that it will be a well-used reference source for questions about epilepsy and allied disorders. Moreover, its relatively low price (undoubtedly related to a generous grant from Parke-Davis) makes it particularly appealing to medical students and house staff.

Bruce O. Berg, M.D.
University of California Medical Center, San Francisco, CA 94143