Pulmonary Diseases and Disorders

Abstract

The field of pulmonary diseases, like many other medical specialties, is replete with textbooks and monographs. One could fill several library shelves with books on tuberculosis, lung cancer, pulmonary function, or any other special topic. Why, then, another large tome on pulmonary diseases and disorders? I suppose the answer lies in the hope that if one writes a better book, physicians will beat a path to the bookseller. Fishman's book is certainly better than most, and as good as the best. He persuaded a distinguished group of pulmonary specialists in the United States and abroad to contribute to this two-volume work. However, Dr Fishman himself has taken on the lion's share of the writing and obviously has been editor in more than just title. The text is extremely well edited, and the reader does not encounter the grossly uneven style that plagues so many works by multiple authors. The illustrations