Jean‐MichelVallat and JoachimWeis (volume Editors) International Society of Neuropathology: Peripheral Nerve Disorders. Pathology and GeneticsWiley Blackwell, 2014. 376 Pages. Price £119.99 (http://Www.amazon.co.uk) (hardcover). ISBN‐10: 1118618431; ISBN‐13: 978‐111‐86184‐3‐1

This is the latest volume released by the International Society of Neuropathology, following on from volumes dedicated to neurodegeneration and muscle disease. It contains 38 chapters with 40 contributors from around the world. The first chapter gives an overview of clinical assessment and classification of peripheral nerve disorders – including clinical examination, electrophysiology and clinical classification of peripheral neuropathies. This is followed by two chapters that cover the combined muscle and nerve biopsy and the increasingly common cutaneous nerve biopsy. Chapters 4 through 7 take the reader through normal peripheral nervous system anatomy, methods for examination of peripheral nerve, complications of nerve biopsy and the basic pathology of peripheral nerves. Chapter 8 is titled ‘introduction to the hereditary neuropathies’ and leads into the following 15 chapters that cover the hereditary motor and sensory neuropathies (HMSN or Charcot-Marie-Tooth diseases), hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathies and hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies, along with chapters dedicated to the other hereditary disorders in which peripheral neuropathy is a prominent feature. Each of these chapters gives a thorough overview of the relevant entities including epidemiology, clinical features, pathological features, pathogenesis, genetics and (where relevant) animal models. The remainder of the book is dedicated to the non-hereditary causes of peripheral neuropathy, including vasculitides, infection, sarcoid, Guillain–Barré syndrome and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, paraneoplasia, metabolic disease, monoclonal gammopathy and others. This text is an excellent addition to the somewhat limited number of books dedicated to peripheral nerve pathology and has the added benefit of being up to date. The book is richly illustrated throughout with both light and electron micrographs, the pictures being of adequate size to illustrate the points in the main text. Well-designed tables are used throughout. It successfully incorporates both histology and molecular genetics in an accessible format that will appeal to both pathologists and geneticists. The clear descriptions of clinical features will no doubt also make this an attractive choice for clinicians and neurophysiologists looking to update their libraries. The preface makes the observation that it is regrettable that nerve biopsy has become less frequent in recent years, with the result that neuropathologists have less experience in this technique. However, as the editors point out, a nerve biopsy can provide a diagnosis, guide treatment by elucidating the underlying disease mechanism and direct investigations towards a hereditary neuropathy and the need for genetic counselling. The peripheral nerve biopsy will remain an important investigation for a proportion of patients with peripheral nerve disease, and this well-written text will be of great benefit to those involved in the diagnostic process. The integrated approach to diagnosis, which incorporates pathology, clinical investigations and genetics, reflects the multidisciplinary approach to patient care. Like all of the newer International Society of Neuropathology texts, this volume is hardbacked, giving it extra resilience. At a price of £119.99 (amazon.co.uk), this should make a welcome addition to the bookshelf of anyone involved in the diagnosis and management of patients with peripheral nerve disorders. I would recommend it.