“Knowledge is of two kinds. We know a subject ourselves, or we know where we can find information on it”, Samuel Johnson (1709–1784).

In this era of IT explosion, a concise source of information is always welcome. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can now boast of several large reference books with international contributors. Smaller texts tend to bring either a personal dimension, often entertaining, or a focus on controversial areas. The rather concise 350 page book edited by Dr Cohen however attempts to provide an overview of IBD within 17 chapters set out in a fairly conventional manner. It covers areas well beyond diagnosis and therapeutics. The contributors are all North American and the book therefore attempts to …